Tàishàng língbǎo tiānzūn shuō yánshòu miàojīng 太上靈寶天尊說延壽妙經
Marvelous Scripture on Prolonging Life, Spoken by the Most High Heavenly Worthy of the Numinous Treasure
About the work
A two-folio scripture on the prolongation of life through the ritual of the Retreat-and-Offering of Destiny (Běnmìng zhāijiào 本命齋醮). Transmitted in the Dàozàng in a composite juàn with DZ 381, DZ 383, and DZ 384 (KR5b0065, KR5b0067, KR5b0068).
Prefaces
No prefaces in the source. The text opens directly with the revelation scene on the Mountain of Golden Light in the Far South and carries no author preface or transmission colophon.
Abstract
Lagerwey (Schipper & Verellen, Taoist Canon 3: 991, DZ 382) places the scripture within the cluster of Táng–Sòng short liturgical-devotional texts of the composite juàn. The light radiating from the body of the Língbǎo Yánshòu Tiānzūn 靈寶延壽天尊 as he preaches on the Mountain of Golden Light (Jīnguāng shān 金光山) in the Far South attracts all the celestial dragons and demon-kings of the universe, who implore him to put an end to the cycle of rebirth. When the dragons and demons have returned to their places, five zhēnrén and four young lads — perhaps figuring the Five Peaks and the Four Seas — perform a ritual ending in hymns to the Tiānzūn’s name. The Tiānzūn in response emits a light from the crown of his head; the light penetrates the hearts of the audience, but without bringing spiritual awakening.
A fifth lad asks the reason. They do not understand the True Dào, the Tiānzūn replies — and to know the True Dào is to know that “all appearances (fǎxiàng 法相) are empty and vain.” Those of the world who wish to prolong their lives should therefore invite a Daoist to celebrate a Běnmìng zhāijiào 本命齋醮 (“Retreat-and-Offering of Destiny”), comparable to the Běnmìng zhāi described in DZ 466 Língbǎo lǐngjiào jìdù jīnshū 201–203.
Translations and research
- Schipper, Kristofer, and Franciscus Verellen, eds. The Taoist Canon: A Historical Companion to the Daozang. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2004, 3:991 (DZ 382).