Chàn fǎ dà guān 懺法大觀
Comprehensive Survey of Repentance Methods
planchette-prefaced by 紫雲洞囘道人 (Zǐyúndòng Huí dàorén — i.e., a planchette persona of 呂洞賓 under the cult-title Huí dàorén); compiled (per the preface) by 靈山子 (Língshānzǐ — the Lǚ-zǔ-circle disciple)
A 32-section repentance-liturgy anthology compiled by Língshānzǐ of the Lǚzǔ planchette circle, with materials gathered from “encounter-with-extraordinary-men transmissions” — the chànfǎ (repentance methods) covering deities from the Sānqīng and Sìyù down to the Léiwēnshuǐhuǒ (Thunder-Plague-Water-Fire), the Wǔzǔ Qīzhēn (Five Patriarchs Seven Perfected), and the rare Nángōng Zǐfǔ chàn (Southern-Palace Purple-Bureau Repentance). The compilation expands the standard liturgical repertoire and provides recitation-scripts for 32 distinct deity-targeted chàn.
Prefaces
Preface (Lǚzǔ as Zǐyúndòng Huí dàorén). “*From the Tàishàng’s opening of the Way-gate, the transmission of repentance-method has been long. But surveying the Daoist canon, much is unprepared. One day my disciple Língshānzǐ paid his respects and reported to me: ‘I have repeatedly encountered extraordinary persons who transmitted to me certain repentance-methods.’ He presented them to me; I read them through. From the Sānqīng and Sìyù down to Léiwēnshuǐhuǒ, and including the Wǔzǔ Qīzhēn — none was unprepared, and the Nángōng Zǐfǔ chàn especially was rare-to-obtain. Reading-through, my heart was glad and I could not stop praising it: ‘Great indeed is its survey!’ Língshānzǐ wished to gather them into a single volume titled Dà chéng (great accomplishment). I said: ‘What is called dà chéng must have nothing not prepared before one can take that name. Your repentance-methods, those that were already manifest in the eyes-and-ears of men, lack nothing in essence; but they are not yet thoroughgoing in the celestial-bureaux. With these majestic-and-dignified repentance-methods totalling 32, this too may be called a great-survey. Why not call it Dà guān?’ Língshānzǐ joyfully received the directive, and so requested the preface. — I think of the Yì’s saying guān hū tiān wén yǐ chá shí biàn; guān hū rén wén yǐ huà chéng tiānxià — these two phrases just match this volume’s title. Chàn expounds the heavens — that is tiān wén; chàn is transmitted to men — that is rén wén. Using the heavens’ time-changes to transform-and-cut the living men: its name arises from righteousness. The judgment-statement says: the sage uses the spirit-Way to set up his teaching — the dà guān’s repentance-methods are likely also of the spirit-Way’s setting-up-the-teaching meaning. Therefore the preface. Zǐyúndòng Huí dàorén inscribed.”
Abstract
A planchette-circle Daoist liturgical anthology of 32 chànfǎ (repentance methods) addressed to the high pantheon, compiled within the Lǚzǔ circle of the Liǔ Shǒuyuán / Liú Tǐshù era — i.e., c. 1700–1750. The work is a comprehensive practical manual of liturgical practice and is one of the more useful DZJY entries for the actual text-of-recitation in late-imperial Daoist ritual. The Zǐyúndòng Huí dàorén signature is the Lǚzǔ planchette persona used at the Zǐyún Cavern (Purple-Cloud Cavern) altar, internally identifiable with the Lǚzǔ circle’s principal Sìchuān / Húběi sites.
Translations and research
- For Daoist chàn-fǎ see Lagerwey, Taoist Ritual in Chinese Society and History (Macmillan 1987).
- No critical edition or translation of this specific anthology located.
Links
- Kanseki Repository KR5i0076
- Compiler: 靈山子; preface: 呂洞賓 (託名).