辯正論 8.64

8.64

明真科云。拔贖死魂常以正月三月五月七月九月十一月。又以月一日八日十四十五十八二十三二十四二十八二十九三十日。及以八節甲子庚申為明真齋。春九日九夜。夏三日三夜。秋七日七夜。冬五日五夜。四季之月十二日十二夜。於中庭燃一長燈。高九尺。啟請天仙地仙真人飛仙日月九宮五帝五岳三河四瀆鬼神。晝燃香夜燃燈。道士於中庭燈下遶燈行道。遍禮十方靈寶天尊。皆脫巾叩頭博頰。或八或十一過。或二百八十八過。若厄難用丹書真文五篇。於中庭置五案。各置一方。上安真文。又用上金五兩作五龍形。以鎮五案。又以五色紋繒為信。以鎮五帝之座。又隨年以紫紋為信。受真文用金龍三枚投水府靈山。及住宅三處。用金錢二萬四千。以資二十四氣。六時懺謝中庭行事。竝不懸幡打鍾。科中不說其事。

The Code of Bright Perfection states: 'To redeem the souls of the deceased, always use the first, third, fifth, seventh, ninth, and eleventh months, as well as the first, eighth, fourteenth, fifteenth, eighteenth, twenty-third, twenty-fourth, twenty-eighth, twenty-ninth, and thirtieth days of the month, along with the eight solar nodes and the jiazi and gengshen days, to perform the Retreat of Bright Perfection. In spring, nine days and nine nights; in summer, three days and three nights; in autumn, seven days and seven nights; in winter, five days and five nights; in the months of the four seasons, twelve days and twelve nights. In the central courtyard, light a tall lamp nine feet high. Supplicate heavenly immortals, earthly immortals, perfected beings, flying immortals, the sun, the moon, the nine palaces, the five thearchs, the five sacred peaks, the three rivers, the four waterways, ghosts, and spirits. Burn incense by day and light lamps by night. Beneath the lamps in the central courtyard, Daoist masters circumambulate the lamps and practice the path, bowing universally to the Numinous Treasure Heavenly Worthies of the ten directions. All remove their headcloths, kowtow, and slap their cheeks, either eight or eleven times, or two hundred and eighty-eight times. In times of calamity and distress, use the five chapters of True Script written in cinnabar, placing five tables in the central courtyard, each set in one direction, with the True Script placed upon them. Also use five ounces of fine gold crafted into the forms of five dragons to secure the five tables. Furthermore, use patterned silk of the five colours as pledges to secure the seats of the Five Thearchs. Moreover, in accordance with one's age, use purple patterned silk as a pledge. To receive the True Script, cast three gold dragons into water offices, numinous mountains, and residential places—the three sites. Use twenty-four thousand gold coins to supply the twenty-four qi. Performing repentance and confession at the six times of day in the central courtyard, they neither hang banners nor strike bells; such things are not spoken of in the code.'