《道門科範大全集》Vol. 46

This is a record of a Daoist ritual for averting astrological misfortunes, compiled by the Tang dynasty master Du Guangting (Daoist name: Master Guangcheng). The ceremony was conducted at dusk, with priests ascending the altar according to prescribed protocols.

The preliminary preparations commenced with participants paying homage to ancestral masters while concentrating their minds in silent recitation of sacred incantations. This was followed by chanting the "Guardian Spirit Spell" to invoke the powers of the Five Planets (Mercury, Jupiter, Mars, Venus, and Saturn): Mercury dispels calamities, Jupiter brings prosperity, Mars (Yinghuo) resolves disasters, Venus (Taibai) wards off military conflicts, and Saturn (Zhenxing) stabilizes the four directions, collectively safeguarding household and national welfare. These stellar deities, whose names are recorded in the celestial jade registers, traverse the ten directions riding clouds and winds, using five-colored clouds as their canopies to summon divine forces and command myriad spirits, ultimately achieving the state of "union with the Dao in perfect truth."

Subsequently, twenty-four beats of the ritual drum were struck, symbolizing the connection between the Three Realms. The priests summoned thirty-six guardian deities cultivated within their bodies (including the Three-Five Merit Officials and Left-Right Emissaries) - these divine beings adorned in splendid robes and jade crowns assisted in opening communication channels between the altar and celestial powers.

The presiding priest solemnly petitioned: "Through this established altar and ritual practice, we convey devotees' petitions to the celestial court. We beseech the supreme Dao-Qi (primordial energy) and numinous treasure's auspicious light to descend, empowering us to swiftly transmit these prayers to the highest divine realm - before the Jade Emperor of the Vast Heaven."

The formal invocation of deities then commenced with sequential veneration of Daoism's highest pantheon: the Three Pure Ones (Yuanshi Tianzun, Taishang Daojun, and Taishang Laojun), the Jade Emperor, the Great Emperor of the Northern Dipper (Celestial Pole), immortal sages from the ten directions, the Eleven Great Luminaries (principal constellations), the Twenty-Eight Lunar Mansions, and each petitioner's natal star. The text expounds Daoist cosmology: the Great Dao condenses from emptiness while embracing all existence, with "Taiji" (Supreme Ultimate) being merely a provisional designation; celestial bodies form from formless Qi, wherein the sun and moon represent yin-yang foundations, and the Five Planets' (Five Wefts) movements govern seasonal and climatic changes.

(Note: The term "minister" refers to priests' self-designation before deities; "Three-Five Merit Officials" denote deities cultivated through internal practice; "twenty-four drumbeats" correspond to the twenty-four solar terms; "Three Qi" indicates the primordial energies of Mystery, Origin, and Beginning)

This scripture describes the complete procedure for Daoist rituals aimed at dispelling calamities and invoking blessings. It begins by explaining the correlation between celestial movements and human fortunes: when the paths of the sun, moon, and stars (the Seven Luminaries) deviate from their normal courses, corresponding omens of disaster appear in the human realm. Only by aligning with the Dao's natural patterns can a nation manifest enlightened governance. Through astrological observation (using methods like the Thirty-Five Divisions and Twelve Earthly Branches), one may foresee auspicious or inauspicious changes.

The text then presents the priest's personal cultivation attitude: having long followed the guidance of the Three Radiances (sun, moon, stars) and comprehended the generative-destructive cycles of the Five Phases (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water), they maintain reverent awe when encountering disasters while emulating virtuous deeds to seek blessings. Though acknowledging limited learning, the priest preserves unwavering devotion to the celestial Dao—much like animals (chickens, geese, jackals, otters) instinctively revere nature.

The ritual proper commences with a prayer recited to the deities of the highest heaven realm (the Great Canopy Jade Purity Realm), inviting the Emperor of the Taiwei Enclosure and the Three Radiances to descend. Special ceremonial techniques are employed (including the "Ritual Jade Contemplation" and "Treading the Void Constellations" methods) to harness celestial power for dissolving misfortunes.

The incense offering unfolds in three stages: The first smoke offering venerates the Three Pure Ones (Sanqing) and ten-directional deities, petitioning that the emperor (referred to as "His Present Majesty") may govern with the stability of the North Star, causing the sun, moon, and five planets to manifest auspicious signs. The second offering honors Daoist scriptures, expressing the ultimate pursuit of merging with the Dao. Though the third stage isn't fully detailed, it presumably follows a similar pattern. Through incense burning, mantra recitation, and visualization, the entire ritual facilitates a numinous experience of heaven-human resonance.

This scripture belongs to the Daoist Zhaijiao (purification ritual) liturgy for blessing and disaster-averting ceremonies, consisting of three main parts:

First, the Daoist priest conducts salvation rites for the ancestral spirits of the devotees (referred to as "the disciple's household"). The prayer beseeches that the departed souls may harness the illuminating power of the sun, moon, and stars to escape the underworld's darkness. Through purification in the Flowing Fire Court (a Daoist purgatorial realm) and the Yellow Blossom Waters (sacred waters for soul cleansing), these spirits ultimately attain rebirth in the Land of Benevolent Longevity (a Daoist blessed realm), merging with the sacred cosmos.

Next, the incense-offering ceremony venerates the Three Pure Ones (Supreme Three Masters) and all sages of the ten directions. The rising incense clouds symbolize communion with the divine, transferring merits to the devotees and their families. The prayer seeks auspicious signs and calamity prevention, nurturing benevolent character to ensure household tranquility ("earth and wood" representing dwellings), flourishing propriety, and harmonious Five Phases (particularly water-fire balance). Thus may they become virtuous families sharing in misfortune-free blessings.

Finally, the ritual enters the formal invocation stage. The priest, humbly addressing as "your servant," petitions various deities: the Three Pure Ones (Yuanshi Tianzun, Taishang Daojun, Taishang Laojun), the Jade Emperor, and stellar deities (Eleven Great Luminaries, Southern Dipper and Northern Chariot, Twenty-Eight Lunar Mansions, etc.). The text particularly emphasizes celestial correlations with human fortunes - Jupiter's brilliance heralding abundant harvests, Venus governing justice to halt warfare, comets signaling cosmic renewal. Through praising celestial patterns, the ceremony prays for national prosperity and people's wellbeing.

This scripture describes a Daoist practitioner's ritual process of confessing transgressions and seeking divine protection. The text explains how the movements of the sun and moon, along with stellar transformations, correlate with human fortunes and misfortunes. The cultivator recognizes that his improper conduct has disrupted the balance of the Five Phases (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water), inviting calamities and divine retribution.

The practitioner examines how he violated the principles of benevolence, righteousness, propriety, and wisdom, thereby disturbing the harmony of the Five Phases and incurring the censure of spirits, along with natural and human disasters. Now with sincere repentance, he erects an altar (a sacred space for Daoist rituals) to beseech the celestial deities for absolution. Specific petitions include: harmonizing the celestial movements to resolve conflicts among the Five Phases; and requesting blessings from various constellations—longevity from the Horn constellation (one of the Twenty-Eight Mansions), flourishing descendants from the Tail constellation, domestic harmony from the Heart constellation, household stability from the Room constellation, official advancement from the Southern Dipper (which governs ranks and emoluments), and the employment of worthy talents through the Eastern Wall constellation (associated with literary fortune).

The text concludes with aspirations for national prosperity and universal peace, where all beings find their proper place—demonstrating both the grace of the Celestial Worthy (the supreme Daoist deity) and fulfilling the devotion of believers. The phrases "Twelve Petitions" and "Returning the Furnace" refer to standard liturgical procedures in Daoist Zhaijiao (purification rituals): the former denotes the recitation of formal prayers, while the latter marks the ritual conclusion where deities are ceremonially escorted back to their celestial abodes.

(Your servant) has just witnessed golden immortal elixir (Jinye), vermilion clouds of cinnabar (Danbi), and auspicious lingzhi mushrooms naturally manifesting at this sacred altar where the Daoist ritual is being performed. All the divine beings have gathered before this incense burner, praying that the immortal youths and jade maidens from the ten directions may receive and convey the sacred smoke rising from this burner. May they swiftly deliver the sincere devotion (your servant) has just reported to the supreme source of the Dao—the Jade Emperor of the Vast Heaven (one of the highest deities in Daoism who governs all celestial realms).

(At the ritual's conclusion) chanting the exit hymn, we depart from the altar. This passage comes from Volume 46 of the Comprehensive Collection of Daoist Liturgical Texts (Daomen Kefan Daquanji), documenting the standard prayer used by Daoist priests when reporting to the deities during zhaijiao (purification rituals). Here, "constructing the altar for ritual practice" refers to establishing the sacred space for religious ceremonies; "golden elixir and cinnabar clouds" symbolize precious substances from the immortal realms; "auspicious mushrooms" represent legendary Daoist herbs of good fortune; and "ten directions" denotes the entire cosmic space. Such prayers primarily express the priest's devout intention to communicate with the divine.