《道門科範大全集》Vol. 82

This is a detailed account of the noontime ritual procession during the "Great Dongyue Salvation and Petition Ceremony" in Daoist practice. The ceremony begins with priests ascending the altar according to prescribed protocols while silently reciting their lineage's esoteric formulas.

First comes the chanting of the "Guardian Spirit Incantation," a protective mantra for warding off evil. The incantation describes crimson flames interweaving with rosy auroras, forming a powerful energy field capable of dispersing demons and dispelling malevolent forces. References to "golden talismans summoning deities" (Fulu) indicate the use of ritual sigils to invoke divine beings, while "riding clouds and spurring dragons" depicts deities arriving astride clouds and dragons. The chant concludes with prayers for unity with the Dao (the Way), achieving the state of cosmic harmony between heaven and humanity.

Next follows twenty-four strikes of the ritual drum, a standard signaling device in Daoist ceremonies. The "Incense Ignition" ritual then commences—burning incense to invite deities. The priest summons thirty-six guardian officials (the protective spirits believed to reside within the human body according to Daoist physiology) to assist in full ceremonial attire. They announce the impending noontime procession to supreme deities including the Most High Lord of the Dao (Taishang Daojun) and the Jade Emperor (Yuhuang Shangdi).

During the "Declaration of Ritual Status" segment, the priest reverently petitions various celestial beings: the supreme "Seven-Jeweled God-Emperor of the Golden Portal in Primordial Nothingness," the Salvation from Suffering Heavenly Worthy (Jiuku Tianzun), the Sacred Emperor of Mount Tai (Dongyue Tianqi Rensheng Di) with his retinue, and all civil-military deities across the Three Realms. The text emphasizes the east as the primordial direction of creation, with Mount Tai—foremost among the Five Sacred Peaks—holding dominion over all things. It notes how ancient sages recognized the vital importance of orienting toward the east.

This scripture meticulously documents the sacred spectacle of grand Daoist purification rituals (Zhaijiao), showcasing the religion's practice of divine communication through specific ceremonial forms. The intricate pantheon, talismanic applications (Fulu), and ritual procedures collectively embody the profound cultural heritage within Daoist religious traditions.

This passage describes a Daoist Keyi (liturgical ritual) for the salvation of departed souls. The general meaning is as follows:

The fundamental nature of Heaven and Earth is gentle and benevolent, and the virtue of the Great Emperor of Mount Tai (Yuedi), the foremost of the Five Sacred Peaks, embodies the Dao's compassionate care for all life. The deities hold authority over life and death, and as long as departed souls sincerely turn to the Dao in repentance, they can obtain pardon for their transgressions and be granted rebirth. Death is the eternal night all fear, while the living yearn for lasting light. Due to differences in virtuous and wicked deeds during life, human lifespans vary in length.

Now the deceased has departed this world, their soul journeying to the underworld of Mount Tai (Daizong), yet their karmic burdens remain unresolved. The bereaved family (devotees of the Dao) longs for the departed, deeply feeling the helplessness of the yin-yang separation, and can only rely on Daoist rituals for salvation. At this moment, as the sun reaches its zenith (the height of yang light), the ritual altar stands solemn and pure, reverently inviting the Celestial Worthies to descend.

The Daoist priest leads the assembly of practitioners in the ceremony: First, incense is lit in offering to the highest deities including the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning from the Jade Pure Sacred Realm (Yuqing Shengjing Yuanshi Tianzun), allowing the incense smoke to carry their prayers heavenward. With sincere devotion, they pray that the departed soul may be cleansed of karmic transgressions accumulated over lifetimes and receive divine mercy. They beseech the Celestial Worthies to show compassion, awakening the deceased to their past delusions, and to command the underworld jailers to remove their shackles (fetters), liberating the soul from suffering.

Note: "Linwu" refers to the noon-hour ritual for delivering the deceased from calamity; "nianxiang" denotes the specific Daoist method of holding incense during ceremonies; "Jiuzhen Miejie" indicates the Nine True Precepts of Daoism; and "Three Caverns" (Dongzhen, Dongxuan, Dongshen) refers to the tripartite classification of Daoist scriptures.

This scripture is a liturgical text (Keyi) from Daoism for the salvation of departed souls, describing the process of aiding spirits to transcend suffering through incense offerings and repentance of sins.

First, incense is offered to the "Most High Lord Lingbao of Shangqing Pure Realm," the supreme Daoist divinity, beseeching that the departed soul may be freed from underworld punishments and cleansed of earthly transgressions. As the incense smoke ascends to the celestial realms, the Daoist priests devote body and mind, praying for the deceased to attain rebirth and liberation from hell's torments.

Next, offerings are made to the "Lord of Rebirth from Taiqing Immortal Realm," the divinity governing reincarnation. Petitions are made for the departed soul to awaken from past delusions and cease drifting in the sea of suffering. The ritual invokes the protection of mountain deities, that the spirit may ascend to the pure Brahma heavens and receive the grace of alchemical refinement for transcendence.

Finally, incense is presented to the "Assembly of Perfected Immortals and Great Sages," the realized beings of Daoist tradition. Through the complete ceremony of triple incense offerings and triple prostrations, reverence is expressed toward the Three Treasures of Daoism: the Dao (the Way), the scriptures (Jing), and the master-disciple lineage. The entire ritual aims to harness divine power to help the soul "merge with the Dao in truth," attaining the carefree state where form and spirit achieve sublime harmony.

The text mentions "erasing the ledgers of sin" (clearing karmic records in the underworld), "calming the waves of the river of craving" (a metaphor for pacifying desires), and "blending Qi (vital energy) with the Brahma heavens" (the soul's fusion with primordial energy). These terms reflect Daoism's unique perspective on life, death, and spiritual cultivation.

(We, your servants) and others, with utmost sincerity and reverence, humbly address the celestial assembly:

We prostrate before the supreme deities of the Formless Natural Realm—the Seven-Jeweled Sovereign of the Golden Portal and the Eastern Palace's Teaching Lord, the Most Merciful Savior from Suffering (the supreme Daoist deity who delivers souls from suffering), along with all ancestral masters who have transmitted scriptures and teachings through the ages. We also venerate the Benevolent and Sagely Emperor of Mount Tai, the Virtuous Empress, the Crown Prince, the Imperial Consorts, the Illustrious Duke of the Hall, the Western King of Numinous Power, and all civil and military officers of the sacred mountain who oversee karmic judgments, as well as all responsive numinous beings manifesting throughout the Three Realms (celestial, human, and underworld). We implore your divine compassion to witness our sincere devotion.

We deeply understand: The Five Elder Sovereigns of the directions perpetually attend celestial teachings, while even the deepest Ninefold Darkness (the Daoist concept of the underworld's lowest realms) receives the radiance of sacred light. During rituals for the deceased, nothing pains us more than witnessing souls tormented in the "Three Torture Paths" (flame, blood, and blade realms), particularly the agonies of the "Five Sufferings" (birth, aging, sickness, death, and separation from loved ones). Those undergoing karmic interrogation face the judgment of colossal celestial enforcers; in the shadowy underworld, divine executioners employ mountains of blades, forests of swords, boiling cauldrons, and burning coals to punish souls—shattering bones, tearing flesh, subjecting them to endless torment by pecking birds, biting serpents, iron plows, and sawing blades.

Yet mercifully, the Celestial Worthy compassionately explains the causes of suffering, and realized beings extend their grace by teaching the path of virtue. Human beings create karma and endure suffering because they remain bound by the "Three Karmic Bonds" (actions of body, speech, and mind), deluded by the "Six Dusts" (sensory distractions of form, sound, scent, taste, touch, and mental objects), drowning in passions while oblivious to life's fleeting nature—as transient as lightning or sparks. Only when retribution strikes do they realize the underworld's gates open onto endless night.

Now we repent with full sincerity, seeking to purify our hearts and return to the Great Dao. We beseech the Celestial Worthy's grace to dissolve our karmic debts. To cultivate vast fields of merit, we must rely on precious Daoist scriptures; to invoke sacred names, none surpasses chanting the title of the Eastern Pole's Most Merciful Savior from Suffering. This practice severs delusions and awakens understanding of the "Subtle and Invisible" (the mysterious state described in the Daode Jing: "Looked at but unseen—it is called formless; listened to but unheard—it is called soundless").

The chief ritual master (the presiding Daoist priest) profoundly laments the suffering of the deceased while fearing the accumulated karma of the living. Until this web of karma is dissolved, we cannot cross the Bridge of Deliverance (for soul salvation) and must rely on supreme spiritual power to cleanse past transgressions. Therefore we solemnly establish this altar of purification with abundant offerings. Like Mount Song and Mount Hua eternally gazing heavenward, we steadfastly contemplate the divine; as Cloud Pavilion (legendary abode of immortals) faces the mortal realm, we pray with genuine earnestness.

May the immortals suddenly descend in vermilion carriages and jade-green chariots (celestial vehicles), their feathered canopies and rainbow banners (divine regalia) cascading in splendor. May all compassionate saints respond to our sincere call, extending salvation to submerged souls that they may regain new life. May the deceased swiftly receive blessings from the Southern Pole's Long-Life Emperor (deity governing longevity) while obtaining protection from the Northern Yin's Fengdu Emperor (ruler of the underworld), gradually ascending the immortal path without straying. We pray that all beings—living and departed—may attain true benefit and peace.

This passage describes a crucial segment in Daoist Zhaijiao (purification rituals). The ritual master (referred to as "your servant" in the text), after performing the circumambulation (walking around the altar at noon), expresses devout prayers to the deities.

With utmost reverence, the master begins by addressing the Celestial Worthy (Tianzun, the supreme Daoist divinity), acknowledging the boundless compassion received and declaring wholehearted devotion. This is followed by the Twelve Vows (standard liturgical invocations in Daoist rites) and the crucial "Returning the Incense Burner" ceremony (a pivotal moment when the ritual vessel is restored to its place).

The master then summons the Incense Official Messengers (divine attendants overseeing ritual aromatics), the Left and Right Dragon-Tiger Guardians (protector deities), and all attendant spirit officials. They pray that the ceremonial space may spontaneously generate Golden Nectar (Jinye, an alchemical term denoting precious elixirs), Cinnabar Radiance (danbi, vermilion-hued purity), and Lingzhi Essence (zhiying, the quintessence of immortality mushrooms), drawing countless perfected immortals to gather before the incense burner.

The liturgy culminates in beseeching the Jade Maidens and Immortal Youths of the Ten Directions (cosmic dimensions) to carry the sacred smoke upward, swiftly conveying these sincere petitions to the August Jade Emperor of the Vast Heaven (Yu Huang Shangdi, the celestial sovereign governing the heavenly realms). Concluding the rite, the master chants the Closing Hymn before withdrawing from the altar platform.

This excerpt from the 82nd volume of the Comprehensive Collection of Daoist Liturgical Norms (Daomen Kefan Daquanji) documents the standardized procedures and invocations within classical Daoist ceremonial practice.