Discussing the Deliverance of Unborn Spirits on the Fifteenth Day of the Seventh Month

Many people are confused: why is it that for the deliverance of unborn spirits, although it is also deliverance, spending a large amount of money in Buddhism often yields almost no effect, and multiple deliverances struggle to send them away, making it difficult to get rid of them. However, in Taoism, a single deliverance can solve the problem, with a very obvious improvement in fortune. What is the reason behind this?

Actually, from a religious perspective, this is understandable.

Generally speaking, the spirits of those who have passed away normally are the most common. Ordinary deliverances can send them to reincarnation. In Buddhist concepts of deliverance, it is believed that deliverance must be performed within forty-nine days. Taoism is basically not restricted by this, because its theories regarding soul and spirit are completely different. In some schools, there are also references to similar statements, defining forty days as a special deadline, after which one enters the underworld for judgment. The saying of forty-nine days generally holds that this is the period of the intermediate state (Zhongyin), and after exceeding forty-nine days, reincarnation has already occurred, making deliverance impossible. In Jainism, which developed from Brahmanism, the existence of the intermediate state is not acknowledged; it is believed that reincarnation occurs instantly after death, without any transitional phase.

In fact, the original Brahmanism believed that after death, a person would enter a certain realm and wait in line. Buddhism changed this to forty-nine days. If the deceased underwent deliverance, they could be reborn into a better realm. The special case is that if a person did not die normally but died accidentally, they would become an evil ghost. These are usually divided into four categories: sudden attack, possession, loss of soul, and confusion. Evil ghosts are not restricted by the forty-nine-day limit and require special handling.

This theory actually has flaws because it cannot explain the issue of ancestral spirits in Chinese traditional culture, where even normally deceased spirits can interfere with their descendants. In reality, when Buddhism performs deliverances, it is done the same way as in folk practices, but it deliberately avoids this issue. Officially, Buddhism firmly denies the existence of this problem because its theories cannot resolve it. Usually, the problem is attributed to violent deaths, but this is obviously inconsistent with reality. Therefore, ultimately, deliverances must still be conducted according to Taoist methods.

Additionally, Buddhism cannot explain the issue of unborn spirits. In reality, situations involving abortion or miscarriage do exist. The most typical case is that by nurturing the spirit and then performing deliverance according to the methods for unborn spirits, the practical problems困扰ing believers are resolved. Buddhism's theories have no explanation for this.

The deliverance of unborn spirits differs depending on whether the lifespan is fulfilled or not. Those who have not fulfilled their lifespan belong to fetal spirits, also called pure spirits. Because they have not been tainted by the energy of the human world, they must be nurtured to grow quickly before deliverance can be performed. This type of operation is unique to Taoism. Buddhism can only use the form of deliverance to provide various forms of comfort, but it actually cannot solve the problem.

Therefore, many religious believers, after seeking deliverance from Buddhism and spending large amounts of money on various ritual activities, still find that the problems困扰ing them remain.

There is a claim that fetal spirits can only be allowed to grow, so they must first be sealed and then dealt with at the appropriate time. This is due to a lack of understanding of the essence of the method.

For Taoist deliverances, formal deliverances can uniformly send any object to reincarnation, regardless of the subject. If the one being delivered has sufficient merit and affinity, they can be directly delivered to the heavenly realm. However, it is important to note that this heavenly realm is the heavenly realm within the Dharma realm, existing within incense offerings, and is not the immortal realm where true immortals reside. Many people confuse these two points.

Actually, this logic is simple: if deliverance could make one an immortal, why would one still need to cultivate while alive? Just think about it. However, for the deceased, this distinction is not necessary because, in the heavenly realm of incense offerings, as long as the feeling is good, it suffices. If reincarnation occurs, one can add to their blessings and be reborn into a virtuous and wealthy family.

Taoism has another advantage in delivering unborn spirits: it generally holds the Blood Lake Repentance and breaks open the prison. This can reduce the karmic burden borne by women and alleviate causal interference in the incense Dharma realm, having many positive effects on improving personal fortune, physical health, etc.

Therefore, in general routine deliverances, Buddhist deliverances are competent, but for complex situations, they are rather strained.

Some people have strong doubts about deliverance, believing it to be fake. Another category is half-believing, and another believes it to be a cultural custom.

Actually, whether one believes or not, from a cultural perspective, deliverance can be understood as a means to comfort the living. From a practical perspective, it itself is a means to solve problems. When one is haunted by an unborn spirit, often various methods have little effect, but once deliverance is performed, there is an immediate and visible effect.