Complete Compendium of Daoist Ritual Forms (III): Rite of the Natal Day and Natal Star — Ascending the Altar for the Evening Audience

The Director of the Congregation calls out: each bows to the master and keeps the formula in mind according to the rite.

The High Master proclaims the Talisman that Guards the Spirits.

The Five Planets shine on high, auspicious qi floats in flight. The Primordial Origin gathers the spirits; heaven and earth intersect and revolve. Jade tallies and precious tallies, whistling orders to the subtle and dark. Flinging fire, displaying might, no evil or fierce one remains. Myriad demons bow and submit, disheveled blooms retreat and clear away. Demons are crushed and evils destroyed; the Dao qi flows through. Numenous radiance illuminates the night; every shadow is gathered in. The myriad spirits descend and lodge, fanning the scene and riding the gale. All beings fulfill their wishes; grace pervades the Divine Abode—in harmony, the Dao becomes true.

The Director of the Congregation calls out: sound the ritual drum twenty-four times.

The High Master opens the censer.

The supreme Three Heavens of the Mysterious, Primordial, and Beginning qi, the Most High Great Dao Lord of the Void, summon forth from within my body the Meritorious Scribes of the Three and Five, the Official Messengers left and right, the Incense-Bearers left and right, the Post-horse Dragon-riding Clerks, the Golden Youths Attending Incense, the Jade Maidens who Carry Word and Scatter Blossoms, the Direct Talismans of the Five Emperors, and the Incense Officials of the day—thirty-six persons each—who emerge. Those who emerge are sternly arrayed in splendid attire, caps and sashes with hanging tassels, and they open and announce to the Celestial Sovereigns and Perfected of the Mysterious Altar of heaven, summoning the True Officials and upright spirits of this land’s earth and hamlets to promptly ascend and report. This evening I ascend the altar and practice the Dao; I reverently memorialize the intent of the petition. My sincere heartfelt requests have already been recorded and declared. I wish that the Dao qi of the Most High, from the Ten Directions and the Perfected, may descend, and that the auspicious light of numinous treasure may flow into our bodies, so that the sincerity of what this servant petitions may swiftly arrive and go straight before the throne of the Perfected, the Limitless Great Dao, the Heavenly Worthies of the Three Pure Realms, the August Jade Emperor of the Vast Heavens, and the Dipper-Sovereign August One of the Purple Tenuity.

The Director of the Congregation calls out: please announce the ritual ranks.

I, the minister so-and-so holding the full office, together with all the ritual masters of the assembled altar, reverently and with one mind announce upward to: the Primordial Celestial Worthy of the Great Dao of the Cavernous Truth and Ancestor of the Dipper Pole; the Most High Lord of the Dao of the Cavernous Mystery and Patriarch of the Dipper Pole; the Most High Elderly Lord of the Great Dao of the Cavernous Spirit and True Master of the Dipper Pole; the Great August Celestial Worthy Jade Emperor, the Highest August One of the Mysterious Firmament; the Honored Sovereign within the Dipper, the Celestial Sovereign Emperor; the Lord within the Dipper, the August One of the Purple Tenuity; the Northern Dipper’s Highest August Jade Worthy Emperor; the Grand August Jade Sovereign’s Mysterious Courtier Great August One; the Northern Dipper’s Grand Commandant, the Yang-Bright Greedy Wolf, Jade-Morning Lord; the Northern Dipper’s Chief Minister, the Yin-Essence Giant Gate, Jade-Morning Lord; the Northern Dipper’s Minister of Works, the Perfected of Emolument-Store, Jade-Morning Lord; the Northern Dipper’s Wandering Support, the Dark-Numinous Literary Arc, Jade-Morning Lord; the Northern Dipper’s Dipper-Lord, the Cinnabar Origin, Chaste Integrity, Jade-Morning Lord; the Northern Dipper’s Grand Constant, the Northern Pole Martial Array, Jade-Morning Lord; the Northern Dipper’s Sovereign, the Celestial Gate, Vanguard Destroyer, Jade-Morning Lord; the Northern Dipper’s Jade Emperor, the Illumined Outer Assistant, Jade-Morning Lord; the Northern Dipper’s Emperor-Perfected, the Hidden Origin Inner Support, Jade-Morning Lord; the Dipper’s Celestial Gang, the Regulator of the Myriad Perfected, the Kui-Light Emperor; the Northern Dipper’s Nine Emperors’ Consorts; the Nine-Yin Inner Consorts; the Three Terraces and Canopy Star Lords; the Three Officials and Five Emperors; the Nine Departments and Four Officers; the Virtuous lords within the Dipper; the countless holy hosts; the Natal Star Lords of the sixty jiazi cycles; the Great Ritual Master of the Celestial Center; the Great Ritual Master of the Three Heavens; the Perfected Above the Treasure; the Two Immortals’ Envoys; the officers of the Nine Palaces; and all the perfected and numinous beings. I have heard: the virtue of heaven and earth is called life; that which extends life is the Great Dao; the blessing of the Great Plan is longevity; that which preserves longevity is the Perfected. Therefore the Great Dao hangs down writings, the Perfected expound teachings—to extend life and preserve longevity, enriching the state and settling the people. We servants have been fortunate to receive the True Vehicle, to dwell our bodies in the domain of the Dao, unrolling the scripts of the Eight Assemblies and Nine Lights, beholding the writings of jade tomes and jade registers—all of which have been proclaimed and practiced through vast kalpas, flowing forth before the patterns of heaven, the principles of ordering the state in great peace, and the chapters of cultivating the person and extending longevity. Yet lodging our traces in the dusty world, harmonizing our light with land and sea, we only hope to assist and contribute, to record even a subtle merit. Whatever is memorialized, reason requires that it be reported upward—moreover, having received the wording of the petition, how dare I not report it upward?

Proclaim the petition.

According to the words of the petition, it is fitting to report them upward. For on the day of first birth, the natal day, the intent is keen upon incense and lamp; we reverently open the ritual altar, carefully cultivating the fast with upright mind, brushing the jade tallies of the Three Pure Ones, unrolling the registers and chapters of the Three Caverns, the chapter of the Great One’s talisman-distribution, the essentials of the Five Spirits receiving the registers—all for concentrating spirit in the Three Realms and fixing thought on the High Mystery, hoping to receive the mandate from the Primordial Heaven, looking up to take the source as origin in the Great Dao, thereby seeking responsive communication and joining with the perfected, washing concerns and cleansing the heart, wishing to ally with true protection. On this evening audience, ascending the altar and practicing the Dao, we invite the assembly of ritual masters to perform this first pinch of incense offering. May this incense smoke rise straight through the air to the Most High Perfected Treasure of the Dao. We return body, return spirit, return life, casting our heads to the ground. Looking up we rely on the Three Masters Most High and the holy hosts of the Ten Directions. May the merit of this pinching of incense cast blessings upon the altars of soil and grain and the ancestral temples, the venerable numinous ones of the sages past, who feast and dwell in the Jade Capital, bestowing auspiciousness upon the precious mandate, surely flourishing the great enterprise, broadly blessing the host of beings. May the seven ancestors and ninefold hidden ones of the fasting master so-and-so ascend to perfection and realize the Dao, refine spirit in the cinnabar palace, transcend the tracks of the mysterious yin, and in the Three Realms and Ten Directions together attain the utmost blessing. Therefore we now burn incense, of ourselves taking refuge in the virtue of the Dao-Worthy, the Great Sage hosts, and the Perfected. After attaining the Dao, may we forever be preserved—in harmony, the Dao becomes true.

On this evening audience, ascending the altar and practicing the Dao, we invite the assembly of ritual masters to perform this second pinch of incense offering. May this incense smoke rise straight through the air to the Most High Perfected Treasure of the Scriptures. We return body, return spirit, return life, casting our heads to the ground. Looking up we rely on the Three Masters Most High and the holy hosts of the Ten Directions. May the merit of this pinching of incense offer upward blessings to the present Emperor: may the wise designs be honored and lasting, the sage lifespan far-reaching. Holding the golden mirror, may he gaze down low, the ten directions bright and tranquil; solemn with pearl tassels, pure and dignified, the eight seas clear and limpid. May the court have loyal and true ones; may customs reach abundance and longevity. May the Crown Prince and consorts assist and praise the flourishing era; may the princesses and all lords preserve and secure the auspicious fortune. Beyond the Fire Mouse and Torch Dragon; on the far shores of Yu-Quan and Meng-Gu; tribute posts race; carriage tracks and written scripts merge in unity. Therefore we now burn incense, of ourselves taking refuge in the virtue of the Scripture-Worthy, the Great Sage hosts, and the Perfected. After attaining the Dao, may Heaven long be preserved—in harmony, the Dao becomes true.

On this evening audience, ascending the altar and practicing the Dao, we invite the assembly of ritual masters to perform this third pinch of incense offering. May this incense smoke rise straight through the air to the Most High Perfected Treasure of the Masters. We return body, return spirit, return life, casting our heads to the ground. Looking up we rely on the Three Masters Most High and the holy hosts of the Ten Directions. May the merit of this pinching of incense flow to the household of the fasting master so-and-so—his own body, household members, and kin within and without—longevity and blessings increasing and extending, sins and blemishes washed away, disasters and misfortunes wiped out and stilled, auspicious signs all arriving, broadly reaching humans and gods alike, sharing equally in the great blessing. Therefore we now burn incense, of ourselves taking refuge in the virtue of the Master-Worthy, the Great Sage hosts, and the Perfected. After attaining the Dao, may we forever be preserved—in harmony, the Dao becomes true.

Confession of the directions, command to the demons, three petitions, three bows.

The Director of the Congregation calls out: again announce the ritual ranks.

I, the minister so-and-so holding the full office, together with all the officials attending the altar, reverently and with one mind announce upward to the Three Pure Highest Sages, the Perfected of the Ten Heights, the immortals of the Dipper Departments, and the true governors of the offering altar. We humbly hope that great compassion will fully descend and illuminate. I have heard: the myriad sages transmit the true, the Three Masters hang down instructions—to aid life and preserve life, which is the foremost concern of the true teaching. Hence the precious scriptures of the Three Caverns and the profound meanings of the myriad heavens: some cultivate inwardly by closing the gaze, swallowing the scenery of the embryonic origin; some pursue jade pistils and frost, the five metals and nine cauldrons; some lodge the spirit and eat qi, subduing the soul and constraining the spirit; some fly steps and escape form, hiding heaven and concealing earth. All wish to extend what is limited and reach that which is without shore, so that the dayflower ranks with the forest of the qian wood, and the morning mushroom stands among the great toon—a thousand gates of good guidance, all urging careful cultivation. Though the foolish may speak of catching shadows, the superior practitioner attains the fruit of diligent action; the bright canons and essential instructions are followed by both ancient and modern. Today the fasting master so-and-so, with an upright and true disposition from past lives, sets his will on the mysterious and profound, penetrates the principles of embodying the Dao and cultivating life, and awakens to the gate of the doubly mysterious secret wonders. On the day of his first birth, the natal day, he opens this assembly of burning cultivation; with mind set on the ten extremes and bowing his head to the myriad heavens, he practices the Dao and turns the scriptures, seeking the true and requesting blessings. We servants presume to lead and accompany him, following the canons of ritual, together exhausting our sincere hearts, looking up to hope for the great grace. We humbly hope that the Perfected Highest Sage, the Limitless High Worthy, will look down and review what has been spoken, pouring down abundant protection. Grant the Vermilion-Yang Jade Palace in the Upper Palace of Literary Brilliance. May Lord Han open the talisman of extended life; may Sima bestow the register of long life. May the true numinous ones assist and guard, harmonizing and nourishing with qi. May the right officer erase the chapter of brevity and haste; may the left register annotate the far-reaching allotment. May emolument and mandate expand and widen; may sins and openings be smoothed away; may the household be well and healthy; may dark and light be at ease. Above we pray for the sovereign’s ten thousand years of life, altars of soil and grain at peace; remote regions and strange courts sharing the same writing and a common track; the Three Lights bright and still; the six qi spreading harmony; grain and harvests plentifully abundant; dragon spirits assisting and praising; the year without pestilence; customs joined in flourishing peace. And even to the night courts and spring gates, the three paths and six destinies: may grace wash away the suffering of scorching toil; may celestial light open the darkened ways; all emerge from the gloom and sink, all receive ascent and deliverance; broadly reaching the ten extremes, far extending to the nine domains; all that flies, moves, and lives, together entering the realm of longevity. Above may this clarify the vast ocean of the Heavenly Worthy’s great compassion; below may it fulfill our sincerity in returning to the Dao. We reverently announce this to be heard.

The Chime-holder calls out: the Twelve Vows.

The Director of the Congregation calls out: keep the spirits in mind and burn incense.

The High Master closes the censer.

Incense Officials, Dragon and Tiger Lords left and right, and all the numinous officers attending the incense—let it be that where this servant has just now ascended the altar and practiced the Dao in this evening audience, there naturally arise golden elixir, cinnabar and azure, lingzhi blossoms of the hundred numinous ones, the perfected all gathering in confluence,

before this incense-burning censer. May the immortal youths and jade maidens of the Ten Directions attend and receive the orchid smoke, and transmit the sincerity this servant has just petitioned, that it may swiftly arrive and go straight before the throne of the Perfected, the Limitless Great Dao, the Heavenly Worthies of the Three Pure Realms, the August Jade Emperor of the Vast Heavens, and the Purple Tenuity Northern Pole August One.

The Chime-holder calls out: the hymn of leaving the hall.

Exit the door; be led to the Hall of the Six Curtains.