《上清靈寶大法(二)》Vol. 41

The Way of Lingbao belongs properly to the Dongxuan Cavern, yet it is also the key to joining the Three Caverns and contains the profound and wondrous principles of the various scriptures. After the perfected master Xu Laile transmitted this Way to Ge Xianweng, its scriptures and teachings gradually came to prominence. After King Ming of Filial Piety transmitted it to Xu Jingyang, its liturgies and regulations became more complete. It can bring stability to Heaven and Earth, protect the state and bring peace to the family, deliver the dead and aid the living, drive out evil and support the right. Within, it cultivates the body and breath; without, it summons the gods, enabling people to reach the state of natural ease and accord with the Dao.

For this reason, Lingbao methods must be transmitted to suitable people; they cannot be passed on to those who lack the necessary qualities. A scripture says, “A person of the highest attainment carries a treasure of gold and pledges an earnest oath to Heaven; only then is the teaching transmitted.” It also says, “If a person of the highest attainment carries a treasure of gold as a token of sincerity, follows the established rules, and swears ten times to Heaven, only then may the teaching be passed on.” Carrying a token expresses sincerity; swearing to Heaven makes the pledge firm. Teacher and disciple, meanwhile, drink elixir water in place of swearing an oath over blood, and divide a jade ring as their shared pledge. If one is willing to give up a treasure of gold, one’s intentions should be equally sincere. Neither the token nor sincerity can be dispensed with.

Those who are wealthy and noble but reluctant to part with their possessions are not fit to receive the transmission. But must those who live in seclusion and poverty, and gladly cultivate the Dao, necessarily bring a treasure of gold? Since the middle period, scriptures and methods of the Three Caverns have circulated widely. The rules of transmission follow levels and sequence, and study must proceed step by step; no one may skip ahead. Disciples must first receive the secret registers of the various ranks in the Dongshen Cavern—documents recording ritual offices, talismanic methods, and lineages—and practice the methods of the Zhengyi Cavern. They must remain devoted and accomplish works that benefit the world and help others. Only then may they go to the ancestral altar, receive the secret registers of the Central Covenant, and advance to the higher grades of the Dongxuan Cavern.

After this, they must be recommended and supervised by a sponsor teacher and an overseeing teacher, receive registers from their master, and report the transmission to Heaven. They must then report it to the Three Realms, establish an altar and perform the transmission rite, receive an appointment to a ritual office, and carry out its duties. The “oath to the Ten Heavens” means addressing the Lingbao Heavenly Worthies of the ten directions and swearing an oath before Heaven.

Distributing covenant documents and dividing a jade ring are rites through which teacher and disciple pledge themselves to each other; they are not contracts made with the Heavenly Worthies. Therefore, ritual objects such as the Three Sovereigns’ tablets and registers, and the documents for contemplating the subtle and settling the will, belong to the teachings administered by the ancestral altar and should be issued together with the secret registers being transmitted. They are not listed item by item here, so as not to overstep the rules of transmission. According to the regulations of Lingbao scriptures and methods, the true covenant documents and the Five-Spirit staff should be used in accordance with the method. The seals and swords required by that method should also be issued along with the documents, so that appointments to ritual offices can be conferred. The rites of transmission must not be treated casually; in this way, one can honor…

The prescribed procedures and rituals are fundamental to the transmission of scriptures and teachings. For this reason, the entire ritual service concludes with the transmission ceremony.

The disciple who is to inherit the lineage first requests a sponsor and a supervising preceptor. Once both masters have agreed, the disciple prepares incense and an offering, then presents a written petition to them.

The petition reads:

I, [surname], holding the rank of [ritual office]:

I, [name], was born in [year, month, day, and hour], and my native place is [ward and village], [county], [prefecture]. In former times, through wholesome causes, I was able to receive instruction in the true Dao, accept Fulu, and be entered among the ranks of Daoist ritual offices.

I once became the disciple of [name], my transmission preceptor, and received [name of teaching], which I have practiced for a long time. I have been deeply protected and cared for by my masters. I feel great shame in my heart, believing that I have achieved nothing, and I dare not grow slack or draw back. Now I respectfully prepare an offering of faith and sincerely present my petition, humbly asking the lineage to permit me to inherit the Shangqing Lingbao Great Dharma, and to receive its talismans, charts, seals, and formulas. I will return home to cultivate and practice them, urge myself ever more strongly to remain true to my original nature, join in supporting the profound work of the Dao, and do all I can to spread the teachings of the Great Dao.

After receiving the teachings, should I carelessly disclose their methods, neglect the teachings, transmit them without authorization to an unsuitable person, stray from the right path and mingle it with what is false, break the covenant or betray its vows, and thereby offend the Daoist teachings and bring resentment upon my masters, then I myself shall suffer punishment by weapons, and my ancestors for nine generations shall be punished at Feng Mountain, the legendary place that governs penalties in the underworld.

I respectfully submit this petition and ask Master [name], my sponsor, Master [name], my supervising preceptor, and Master [name], my transmission preceptor, to stand as my sponsors. I humbly beseech the compassion of my masters: please register and report my case to the celestial realm, issue documents to the Three Realms, and enter my name with the divine office that oversees the true Dao, so that an altar may be opened and the transmission ceremony performed.

Respectfully submitted.

On [day, month, and year] of the [year] cyclical era, petition submitted by [surname], holder of the rank of [ritual office].

After receiving the petition, the transmission preceptor informs the Supreme Emperor and the High Perfected, registers the document and reports it to the celestial realm, and issues documents to the Three Realms.

The report to the celestial realm follows this general format:

The Celestial Worthy of the Primordial Beginning of the Cavern of Truth in the Jade Clarity Holy Realm

The Celestial Worthy of the Numinous Treasure of the Cavern of Mystery in the Supreme Clarity True Realm

The Celestial Worthy of the Dao and its Virtue of the Cavern of Spirits in the Great Clarity Immortal Realm

The Supreme High Celestial Jade Emperor

The Great Emperor of the Celestial Sovereign of the Gouchen Star Palace

The Great Emperor of the North Pole of Purple Tenuity at the Center of Heaven

The Earthly Sovereign, Empress of the Earth

All seven documents follow the same format and are submitted to the Celestial Pivot Bureau, the Daoist office that manages documents for the celestial realm.

The memorial follows this format:

I, [surname], holding the rank of [ritual office], your subject, am sincerely fearful and trembling. I bow my head and prostrate myself twice as I submit this memorial:

I have long occupied a place in the ranks of the Numinous Officials, yet have performed no good deeds. I ought to reflect upon myself and should not take on further cases or participate in this matter. But spreading the teachings is part of my duty, and this matter cannot be put aside, so I have presumptuously set down what is in my heart and respectfully submitted it to the celestial realm. I, your subject, respectfully report the disciple’s ritual office and surname, based on the disciple’s native place and the register office received: …

So-and-so submits this petition and humbly requests permission to state his birth year, month, day, and hour, along with his age at birth.

So-and-so previously paid respect to a master and received instruction in the orthodox scriptures of the Way. Some time has now passed, and, through the good fortune of receiving his master’s teachings, he has gradually come to understand them. He therefore wishes to continue receiving instruction in the Great Method of the Shangqing Lingbao, devote himself to its practice and observance, and vow to save living beings in both the visible world and the underworld. Should he reveal the arts of the Dharma to unsuitable people, or mix heterodox and false arts with the orthodox Dharma, he willingly accepts the grave offense and severe punishment of Fengshan, and will make no defense. Since his resolve is firm, it is fitting that this Dharma be transmitted to him. I propose appointing So-and-so as a “Disciple of the Central Covenant of Lingbao” and assigning him the office of “Executor of the Southern Bureau.” I therefore risk my life to set down the circumstances and submit them to the Celestial Court.

I respectfully address the Holy Presence (the revered deity of the Celestial Court): I humbly ask that, in your compassion, you approve my petition and permit me to appoint So-and-so to this Dharma office and conduct the rites of transmission. I have offended the majesty of Heaven; my heart trembles with fear. Ashamed and awaiting judgment, I submit this petition with the utmost trepidation.

On the day and month of the year of the Grand Sui named So-and-so, your servant So-and-so, holding the Dharma rank of [title], submits this petition.

The contents of the seven petitions above may be abbreviated. Each petition should separately name the Holy Presence and be placed in a square envelope (the special sealed envelope for petitions), then sent together to the Celestial Pivot Bureau for submission.

The square envelope for the Great Emperor of Longevity of the South Pole should be sent to the Imperial Gate of the South Pole; the envelope for the Celestial Worthy Taiyi, Savior from Suffering, of the Azure Palace of the Eastern Pole should be sent to the Azure Palace of the Eastern Pole.

Prepare ten petitions to the Lingbao Celestial Worthies of the Ten Directions; nine to the Emperors of the Nine Heavens; thirty-two to the Thirty-Two Heavens; one to the Duke of Wood; and one to the Queen Mother of the West.

Petition Format

Your servant So-and-so, holding the Dharma rank of [title], submits this petition:

(Text of the petition on the right.) I respectfully record my registered place of origin and other details; the contents are the same as in the preceding petition. In accordance with the rules, the petition should be recorded and submitted.

I respectfully address the Holy Presence (the revered deity): I humbly ask that, in your compassion, you approve your servant’s request and permit me to appoint someone to a Dharma office and conduct the rites of transmission. I have offended the majesty of Heaven and am deeply afraid and ashamed, awaiting judgment. I submit this petition.

On the day and month of the year of the Grand Sui named So-and-so, your servant So-and-so, holding the Dharma rank of [title], submits this petition.

Petitions to the Celestial Worthies and Celestial Emperors follow much the same format; only the forms of address need slight adjustment. Address a Celestial Worthy with “compassionate Dao,” a Celestial Emperor with “compassionate Heaven,” and the Queen Mother of the West with “wise compassion.” If petitions to the Celestial Worthies of the Ten Directions or the Nine Heavens cannot be submitted separately, they should not be combined into a single petition, as that would be highly improper. The sacred titles of the Duke of Wood and the Queen Mother of the West can be found in the relevant sections on petitions and memorials.

Documents for Submission to the Upper Realm

Enter the ritual rank and surname, filling in one’s own name wherever “so-and-so” appears.

I respectfully state my native place, place of residence, and other relevant details (omitted below). In accordance with the petition set out below, I have prepared the seals required for this ritual method and attached their designs above. I now formally record this document and submit it to the Upper Realm.

Respectfully submitted.

I humbly beseech the eminent perfected beings and sacred assembly who preside over the Supreme Mystery Secretariat beneath the Three Heavenly Gates (the officials responsible for the divine beings of the Upper Realm) to show compassion and approve this application, and to submit it on my behalf to the Heavenly Court, where it may await the decree of Heaven. First, I ask that all offenses committed in past lives and this life by me and by my successor in the Dharma, so-and-so, and by our Nine Generations of Ancestors and Seven Generations of Ancestors, be pardoned, and that permission be granted for the transmission of the ordination. I also respectfully ask that this matter be proclaimed throughout the heavens and earth, to the sun, moon, and stars, the Three Realms and Three Origins, the worlds of the Ten Directions, and every relevant jurisdiction, so that it may be carried out according to ritual law. Having presumed upon the authority of the perfected ones, I am filled with the utmost apprehension. I respectfully submit this petition.

On the day, month, and year of so-and-so, under the cyclical influence of the Grand Year, the undersigned, holding the ritual rank of so-and-so and bearing the surname so-and-so, submits this petition.

Separate petitions should be submitted to the following deities:

The Great Sage of the Central Heaven, the Nine Sovereigns of the Northern Dipper (one petition); the Lord of the Celestial Office of the Upper Origin, the Lord of the Terrestrial Office of the Middle Origin, and the Lord of the Water Office of the Lower Origin (three petitions); the Four Sages Tianpeng, Tianyou, Yisheng, and Zhenwu (one petition); the Five ritual masters, including the Mysterious Master, the Celestial Master, and the Master of Scriptural Registers and Ordination (one petition); the Immortal King of Filial Piety in the Palace of the Sun (one separate petition); the Illustrious King of Filial Piety in the Palace of the Moon (one separate petition); the Grand Historian of the Celestial Immortals of the Nine Provinces (one separate petition); the Left Immortal Elder of the Supreme Ultimate (one separate petition); the Great Demon Kings of the Three Realms (one petition); and the Demon Kings of the Five Emperors (one petition).

The formats of these twelve kinds of documents are identical. Submitting petitions separately or combining them does not signify any difference in rank or importance. It is because the high perfected ones each have their own jurisdiction: petitions may be combined only when the recipients are overseen by the same divine office or department. The Palace of the Sun and the Palace of the Moon belong to different palaces and offices, and the Three Officials likewise each have their own office; therefore, petitions to them must be submitted separately.

In addition, ten documents should be prepared for the Flying Heavenly Kings of the Ten Directions and submitted separately. Their contents are the same as the petition above, so their formats are not listed here one by one.

Petition Format

Enter the ritual rank and surname, filling in one’s own name wherever “so-and-so” appears.

I respectfully state my native place, place of residence, and other relevant details (omitted below). In accordance with the petition set out below, I now formally record this document and submit it to the Great Sage of the Central Heaven, the Nine Sovereigns of the Northern Dipper.

I humbly beseech the Star Lords to show compassion and approve this application, and to submit it on my behalf.

Heaven has already issued a decree ordering all regions of the Three Realms to carry it out in accordance with the prescribed rules. I now earnestly beg Heaven once more to bestow its favor, show compassion, and permit me to transmit the Dao to a certain person. I am deeply troubled at the thought that I have offended the august authority of the Real Ones. With utmost trepidation, I respectfully submit this petition.

In the year of the Grand Marshal [Tai Sui], on the [year, month, day, and hour], I, [surname], holder of [office or rank], respectfully submit this petition.

Documents Reporting to the Middle and Lower Realms

The recipients of these reports include the Great Emperor of the Ninefold Yin and Fengdu of the Underworld, the Great Emperor of Eastern Dawn and Fusang of the Water Court, the Eastern Peak’s Heavenly Equal, Benevolent Sage Emperor, and the Great Dharma Bureau of Lingbao.

On the grounds set out above [the original omits the details with “and so on”], this bureau respectfully submits this report for your information.

Respectfully submitted.

I humbly beseech the Great Emperor of Northern Yin and Fengdu to show favor from his sacred presence, grant the request, and issue special orders to the Ninefold Dark Depths, the Six Heavens and Ten Caverns, the Springs and Curved Paths, and all other jurisdictions under his authority, directing them to cooperate in accordance with the prescribed rules.

In the document addressed to the Water Court, the request is instead to issue orders to the Three Rivers, Nine Rivers, Five Lakes, Four Seas, and all rivers, springs, streams, and caverns belonging to the lower water realm, directing them to cooperate in accordance with the prescribed rules.

In the document addressed to the Eastern Peak, the request is instead to issue orders to the offices of the Four Sacred Peaks, the grotto heavens and blessed lands, numinous territories and famed mountains, the orthodox deities listed in the state’s sacrificial rites, and all jurisdictions of the City Gods and Earth Deities, directing them to cooperate in accordance with the prescribed rules.

Format of the Official Dispatches

One dispatch to the Elder of Haoli, two to the City Gods of the prefectures and counties, and nine to the Earth Deities of the nine provinces. In each case, request that orders be issued to the orthodox deities in charge of sacrifices, shrines and temples, the City Gods of the commanderies and towns, the Earth Deities, and others within the relevant jurisdictions, directing them to cooperate in accordance with the prescribed rules.

Further details may be added as needed for the particular circumstances. If other methods are transmitted at the same time, and the related matters fall under the jurisdiction of other offices, separate reports and official dispatches may also be sent to those offices.

For the official passes and notices issued to the Merit Officers, consult the formats for memorials and reports; they are not copied here.

The Rite of Transmission and Thanksgiving Offering

After the memorial has been submitted, choose an auspicious day to establish the altar and transmit the teaching, and perform a purification offering in thanksgiving. On the appointed date, carry out the rite in accordance with the liturgy.

Format of a Petition to the Supreme Emperor for an Offering

I, [surname], holder of the ritual rank of [rank], respectfully submit:

Previously, on the basis of the petition submitted by my disciple who is to inherit the teaching, [name], I requested permission to transmit the Great Shangqing Lingbao Teaching. On [date], I recorded and submitted the relevant documents in a memorial. I have respectfully set [month and day] as the date to establish the altar and transmit the teaching at [location], and to perform a purification offering in thanksgiving for Heaven’s grace. I therefore record this petition and submit it to Heaven.

At the jade steps of the Celestial Worthy of the Great Shangqing Lingbao: I respectfully beseech…

May the compassionate light of the Dao shine down and bear witness. I presume to submit this petition.

The awe-inspiring power of the Dao descends, and my heart is filled with dread and unease. I am willing to accept the punishment for my offense. I respectfully submit this petition.

In the year, month, day, and hour of the designated year, I, [name], holding the following ritual rank (office), submit this petition.

Format for inviting perfected beings of the upper realm to descend upon the ritual altar

I, [name], holding the following ritual rank:

I previously reported the facts concerning … (continue as above, filling in the specific details) and received the gracious approval of Heaven. I now submit this document again to report the matter and place it on record.

I respectfully report:

I humbly invite the sacred sovereign who presides over the Supreme Mystery Bureau under the Three Heavens to review this petition. I beseech your true compassion to permit you to descend upon the ritual altar and certify and transmit the teachings to me. I presume to submit this petition, and my heart is filled with dread and unease. I am willing to accept the punishment for my offense. I respectfully submit this petition.

On the day, month, and year of the designated year, I, [name], holding the following ritual rank, submit this petition.

Format for inviting deities of the middle and lower realms to descend upon the ritual altar

The Great Law Bureau of Lingbao:

This bureau previously reported the facts concerning … (continue as above), up to the establishment of the ritual altar to offer thanks for divine favor. We must now submit a formal report.

I respectfully report:

I humbly invite the August Emperor of Benevolent Holiness, Equal to Heaven and of the Eastern Peak, to review this petition. I respectfully beseech the grace of the holy sovereign to grant special permission to descend upon the ritual altar and certify and transmit the teachings to me. Respectfully submitted.

When inviting deities such as the City God or the local territorial deity, use a formal dispatch—a document for official correspondence—to invite them to the ritual. Ask them to review the dispatch, descend at the appointed time, and accept the sincerity of the ritual offerings. Respectfully issued by formal dispatch.

Petition for offerings made during the ritual

I, [name], a disciple who has inherited the lineage, holding the full title of [ritual rank]:

I respectfully present a dragon chariot of the One Vehicle as an offering and report it with reverence.

On the day, month, and year of the designated year, I, [name], a disciple who has inherited the lineage and holds the full title of [ritual rank], submit this petition.

Petition presenting offerings to the assembled perfected deities of the upper realm

I, [name], a disciple who has inherited the lineage, holding the title of [ritual rank]:

I respectfully present a portion of spirit money and one cloud horse as offerings and report them with reverence.

On the day, month, and year of the designated year, I, [name], a disciple who has inherited the lineage and holds the title of [ritual rank], submit this petition.

[Name], holding the ritual title of lineage master.

Petition presenting offerings to the assembled deities of the middle and lower realms

I, [name], a disciple who has inherited the lineage, holding the title of [ritual rank]:

I present a portion of spirit money and one cloud horse. I respectfully hope that your holy wisdom and compassion will bear witness to these offerings and accept them. Respectfully submitted.

Fill in the year, month, day, and other details according to the preceding examples.

In addition to the formats above, if other deities and officials, generals, or departments are to be invited to participate, their names may also be included in the same document. Formats for related dispatches, passes, and other documents are provided separately in sections on petitions, reports, and official proclamations.

Items used together during the transmission rite:

Two silver rings, each two cun and four fen in diameter. They bear no written characters, only the transmission master’s personal seal. One silver handled book knife with a dragon-head handle and a blade made of steel or iron; the knife is six cun long overall. One yellow-silk credential, nine cun high and seven chi two cun long. Three zhang six chi of colored silk for the altar’s protection, in these colors and lengths: nine chi of blue, three chi of red, seven chi of white, five chi of black, and twelve chi of yellow. Three dou six sheng of rice and three thousand six hundred coins for the altar’s protection. One bolt of silk for the disciple’s destiny. Its color must correspond to the disciple’s birth-year element, and the whole bolt is used. Its length is unrestricted, though it may instead be determined by the disciple’s age.

Form of the true credential of the numinous document:

Enter the transmission master’s official title, name, and personal seal.

In the year, month, and day of [the] Tai Sui.

By the laws and ordinances of the mysterious rites, the two parts are to be joined as one.

After the disciple receives an appointment in the Dongxuan rank and has completed the duties of that office, this copy is to remain in the relevant bureau for reference.

The credential below is divided into two parts; when joined, they serve as proof. So-and-so inherits the practice of the Great Lingbao Method and is promoted in rank.

The central text of the numinous document, written in vermilion seal script (the seal script must be written in reverse, from right to left; see Patterns of Jade-Text Seal Script).

This credential is hereby issued to its bearer:

Having been escorted to and from the heavens, so-and-so has been appointed to an office (enter the name of the disciple receiving the transmission and the newly conferred title).

This office will enable its bearer to remain forever diligent in filial devotion and loyalty, bringing blessings to the nine generations of ancestors. The contents recorded in the numinous register are to be inherited and practiced in accordance with the regulations of the Great Lingbao Method, with promotion in rank and appointment to the office of an immortal official in the Dongxuan rank.

Southern Bureau under the Three Heavens.

Southern Bureau under the Three Heavens.

In accordance with the regulations, the bearer inherits and practices the Great Lingbao Method, is promoted in rank, and is appointed to the office of an immortal official in the Dongxuan rank.

This office will enable its bearer to remain forever diligent in filial devotion and loyalty, bringing blessings to the nine generations of ancestors. The contents recorded in the numinous register.

Having been escorted to and from the heavens, so-and-so has been appointed to an office (enter the name of the disciple receiving the transmission and the newly conferred title).

This credential is hereby issued to its bearer.

The central text in vermilion seal script.

The two parts of this credential form a true matching tally. It is given to the disciple so-and-so to keep and wear on their person. From this day onward, the Five Sufferings are all dispelled, the Three Evils are pardoned together, the register of sins is erased forever, and the bearer may be delivered and ascend to life above. The bearer will endure through every generation, with a lifespan equal to Heaven’s. Hasten, in accordance with the command of the Most High.

In the year, month, and day of [the] Tai Sui.

Name and personal seal of the recommending master.

Name and personal seal of the supervising master.

Name and personal seal of the transmission master.

This is the credential text of the original Lingbao method. It must be divided before Heaven; the right-hand part is given to the transmission…

The master puts away the left half of the covenant, places it in a bag, and gives it to the disciple who transmitted the lineage, or to the ordination master—the ritual officiant responsible for conferring the transmission—to keep. The right half need not be retained. A formal document should be prepared at once and submitted to the Shangqing Celestial Pivot Bureau, a Daoist divine office, for inspection. It serves as proof that the disciple is cultivating immortality and learning the Dao, and is used to strike the disciple’s name from the register of sins and enter it in the register of ascent to higher life. The writing on the back of the right half reads:

“This true covenant of numinous writing is the certificate issued at the transmission rite after the disciple of the Fulu, [name], has inherited and undertaken the Great Method of Shangqing Lingbao, advanced in rank, entered the stage of Dongxuan, received a supplementary appointment, and taken up official duties. The covenant is drawn up and sealed to help the disciple eradicate the roots of evil and clear past offenses from the register, so that the disciple may cultivate immortality and learn the Dao, fulfilling all that is sought. Please carry this out in accordance with the rites and procedures of the Mysterious Gate.”

The date and other details follow the same format as above.

Ring Form

The ring signifies fidelity to a sworn covenant, much like the jade discs through which people in ancient times pledged their oaths. Its original form was a plain circle without writing. Today, the ordination altar—the Daoist ritual site where Fulu are transmitted—may have the master’s seal-sign carved on the ring, and this is also done during the transmission of the teachings. The ancients valued simplicity and paid little attention to outward ornament; in all things, they prized what was plain.

Later, when the Perfected Official Lu compiled the Correct Method of the Celestial Heart, writing was added to the ring: “The Correct Method of the Celestial Heart is revered by the myriad spirits; transmitted under Heaven’s watch, it circulates without end.” This, too, explains the purpose of using the ring. These practices, however, are not part of the ancient tradition. The Great Method of Lingbao belongs to the highest grade of Dongxuan and should not follow popular custom.

The ring represents fidelity to a sworn covenant. Lord Lu divided the covenant documents on the altar but did not split the ring. The likely meaning is that, since the documents had already been divided to establish the covenant, there was no need to split the ring. The disciple may wear the ring so long as the covenant is not broken. Those of superior understanding should consider this carefully before putting it into practice.

Writing Knife Form

The writing knife should have a sharp steel blade, with a silver dragon’s head covering most of the end of the handle. Writing knives used in the presentation of memorials to the gods follow this same design. Since the blade can be used to scrape away and correct writing, it should be prepared as a ritual implement for amending errors; it is especially needed when dividing the covenant documents. Some people today make writing knives from silver sheet, which is incorrect.

Supplementary Appointment Form

“Office of the Lingbao Great Method:

This office has verified the disciple’s place of origin and residence. The disciple who has inherited the Fulu, [name], submits this document with reverence and states: I was born in [year, month, day, and hour], and long had a favorable affinity that enabled me to receive the teachings of the true Dao. Through the kindness of receiving the transmission of the Orthodox Method, I have been admitted, unworthily, to the ranks of the Ling Officials. With firm and sincere resolve, I now set forth my heartfelt intentions once more. I previously submitted a formal document to the ordination altar and received approval to advance to the rank of the Central Inspector’s Secret Register. Now…”

I willingly accept the transmission of all talisman diagrams, seals, and oral instructions of the Great Method of Shangqing Lingbao (the Lingbao tradition of the Shangqing school). I take refuge in and devote myself to practicing and upholding this method, hoping to relieve beings in the underworld and the living world, cut away harmful influences, drive out demons and evil spirits, assist the Great Dao, and support the workings of creation.

If I dare to mix in false or deviant material, corrupt sacred documents, pass the method on my own authority to unsuitable people, or carelessly disclose the Heavenly Treasures, I willingly accept personal responsibility for the offense and submit to the scrutiny of the Three Officials of Heaven, Earth, and Water. May the Three Officials examine whether my oath is resolute and sincere, and whether I remain true to it without change. If so, permit me to proclaim and transmit this method, and to initiate those who receive it according to the proper rites.

In addition to registering and reporting the matter to the imperial courts of the Three Heavens and submitting petitions to the true bureaus governing the Three Realms, an altar must be set up in accordance with ritual, and the transmission formally conducted before Heaven. This requires conferring the appropriate rank, assigning ritual duties, and issuing the secret texts of the Great Method of Shangqing Lingbao, together with the required ritual implements, including seals, a sword, and a staff. The items to be issued individually are listed below:

The recipient has already received and wears the “Central Alliance Secret Register,” a register of the Central Alliance rank. Now, on coming to receive the transmission of the Great Method of Lingbao, the recipient should, according to liturgical procedure, be promoted and appointed a “Disciple of the Central Alliance of Lingbao,” serving as a ritual officer in the Southern Bureau.

Issue one copy of the Great Method of Shangqing Lingbao; one seal of the Bureau of the Great Method of Lingbao; one seal for communicating petitions, one seal for crossing boundaries, one Yellow Spirit Seal, and three Divine Tiger Seals; one Eight Radiances Sword of Numina, three chi and six cun in length; and one Five Numina Staff, to be carried and held at all times. All is to be done in accordance with the ritual statutes.

As prescribed, a disciple of the Dongxuan Cavern must possess the appropriate ceremonial garments and ritual objects: a hibiscus crown, thirty-two purple mantles, a yellow robe, a yellow-brown garment, a Bright Radiance vestment, a jade tablet, jade pendants, and red shoes.

The Great Method of Lingbao belongs to the Dongxuan Cavern. It governs the pivotal principles of the Three Caverns and is a high-ranking method above the Middle Vehicle. Its status is exalted and it cannot be equated with ordinary liturgies. In all matters involving petitions, dispatches, and the reception or subjugation of spirits, formal documents must be sent in accordance with the rules to the Five Emperors of the Three Realms and the Great Demon Kings, and the responsible Flying Celestial Spirit Kings must be notified. Whenever talismans or spell-water are issued, formal orders must be sent and the Spirit Kings, their subordinate envoys, and their officials and troops dispatched to carry out the work. When offices are conferred and duties assigned in Lingbao rites, the Great General Ruyi also accompanies the proceedings and oversees the relevant responsibilities.

For rituals involving the presentation of petitions, entering the chamber for contemplative practice, paying reverence to the imperial perfected ones, sending the spirit aloft to make a petition, burning incense and reciting scriptures, praying and inviting deities, or summoning and directing spirits, one should also summon the Three-Five Merit Officers, the left and right official envoys, the Incense-Attending Golden Youths, the Message-Carrying and Flower-Scattering Jade Maidens, and the Direct Talismans of the Five Emperors, the Direct …

The incense attendant of the Sun carries out his duties according to the prescribed rules and takes up his office upon receiving the seal and authorization. When the task is complete, he returns to his original place. When summoned, he descends at once.

Whenever a departed soul is to be pursued and retrieved, or a spirit summoned and taken into custody, official documents must be issued and transmitted in accordance with the liturgy.

The Divine Tiger, the two Great Sages He and Qiao, the soul-pursuing envoys of the Three Departments, and the Jade Maidens of the Seven Offices are responsible for carrying and delivering talismanic documents and handling the matter according to regulations.

Whenever a purification retreat is undertaken and an altar ceremony performed, commands recited, or Fulu (talismans and registers) transmitted, the gods should be invited to descend according to the matter at hand.

The Flying Heavenly Kings of the Ten Directions, the talisman envoys who summon perfected beings and call spirits, the Golden Dragon of Xuandu, and the post-station officers of the Jiaolong must receive their duties and transmit commands according to the talismanic mandate. When the task is complete, they must immediately return to their original ranks.

The officials of the Lingbao tradition, the Jade Boys and Jade Maidens, the Heavenly Generals, and the Immortal Soldiers are all spirits belonging to the upper realm, distinct from ordinary functionaries. In accordance with the scriptures, they should be invited to descend as each matter requires and assist the ritual master in performing the rites. They must not be scolded, ordered about, or addressed by name. These spirits do not remain in the human world. During ritual practice, one should clear the mind and quiet the breath, recite incantations, burn talismans, focus the spirit and visualize inwardly, and summon them in secret. Once their commands have been carried out, each returns to its original rank. Names for divine generals and officials beyond those prescribed in the scriptural regulations must not be spoken recklessly, nor may celestial offices be established without authorization. The relevant divine offices must not conduct affairs by mixing them with worldly customs, much less act contrary to the scriptures or combine practices arbitrarily. Heaven will show no leniency to those who violate their sworn covenant.

This document was drawn up on the basis of the True Instructions and Precepts Scripture written by the Emperor of Humanity, a legendary sacred figure, and compiled with reference to four translated versions. It is an important work among the Three Caverns (Dongzhen/Dongxuan/Dongshen) scriptures. It can harmonize Heaven and Earth, bring stability to the state, and protect households. It is a code followed jointly by sages of every age. It benefits both the unseen realms and the human world, sets a standard for all directions, and brings blessings to past and present alike.

The disciple who has inherited the Dharma, [name], holds the rank of Lingbao in the Dongxuan Dharma Lineage and has already sworn the covenant. The private composition and transmission of ritual methods have now been completed. This is a grave responsibility, and the office held is of great importance. One must remain steadfast in one’s original resolve, cultivate in secret the methods of the hundred spirits, discipline oneself and cultivate body and mind, and never violate the ritual regulations and precepts. To aid others and benefit all things, one should establish Virtue and accomplish meritorious deeds. The Great Demons of the Five Emperors observe diligence and negligence; the Three Offices, which oversee examinations, investigate transgressions. Only through careful secrecy and focused cultivation can the myriad Qi be made complete and the Three Heavens grant a summons. If one carelessly divulges the teachings or neglects the regulations, one will fall into ruin and bring rejection upon the nine generations of one’s ancestors.

You must observe the established rules and never disregard these precepts. This document is therefore issued as proof.

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

Recommending Master: rank, name, and seal to be entered.

Supervising Master: rank, name, and seal to be entered.

Initiating Master: rank, name, and seal to be entered.

Register Master: rank and name to be entered (deceased; no seal).

Scripture Master: rank and name to be entered.

When transmitting Fulu (talismans and registers) and opening an altar to perform a Zhaijiao (purification ritual), families with the means may first hold a “suxi” rite the previous evening. This is a rite of invocation held on the night before the altar is formally opened. At dusk, they perform the Shen-hour ritual, then issue the command, sprinkle water to purify the altar, and proceed with the suxi liturgy. At dawn the next day, they ascend the altar and open it. They perform the Dao in the morning, midday, and evening, paying homage to the perfected beings and sages, repenting, and giving thanks. They may also follow the rites in the Lingbao Ritual Manual for a Three-Day Altar.

The most complete procedure is to set up the altar for a Zhaijiao at dusk and then transmit the Fulu. When transmitting the teachings, people generally end the ceremony after the Zhaijiao alone. The rites for transmitting the teachings and conducting the Zhaijiao are therefore described here in detail. Transmission and reception of Fulu belong to the rites of this method; they are not part of the Yellow Register retreat rites. The procedure is set out below.

Setting the Zhaijiao table: Enshrine the Supreme Emperor in the center, with attendant saints on either side. There may be sixty or one hundred and twenty in all. Set the Three Treasures in the center, along with the imperial table, arranging them according to the layout of a retreat altar.

Set up a screen for the Five Masters on the left side of the altar. On the right, enshrine the Perfected Lord of Divine Merit and Sublime Deliverance and the Perfected One of Supreme Ultimate and Responsive Resonance. Alternatively, the Five Masters and these two divine perfected beings may be enshrined together behind one screen.

Arrange the petition and formal notice for the Zhaijiao before the master. Then dispatch the notice, and have the Daoist participants form ranks before the master.

The ritual director in charge of the chime raises the rite. The presiding ritual master and the disciple each offer incense and bow.

The presiding ritual master kneels and requests the petition and notice. Daoists carry them to the dispatching station called “Huaxia.” A ritual officer recites an incantation and sprinkles water to purify the altar. The ritual director raises the rite again.

The presiding ritual master burns talismans for summoning the perfected and calling the spirits, then performs the rites for transforming the spirit and summoning the generals. Next, the proclamations for the first, second, and final offerings are delivered in turn, followed by the reading of the official notice, a document conveying the commands of the deities or details of the rite.

The presiding ritual master dispatches the documents. The disciple pours wine as a libation onto the ground, then burns the documents prepared earlier. Finally, they dedicate the merit and recite the good deeds accomplished. The remaining rites for the evening Zhaijiao follow customary practice.

Shangqing Lingbao Great Rites, juan 42