Page 717 - The Encyclopedia of Taoism v1_A-L

LINGBAO W UFU XU

and without regard to the established order of precedence. Even when they
only performed ordinations in the Lingbao scriptures, they tended to mix in
other elements or call spirits indiscriminately. The Shoudu yi thus attests to
Lu's attempt to unify and regularize the Taoist practice of his day.
The ordination ritual, to be performed over a period of seven days, presumes
that the disciple has already received and studied the scriptures and is now ready
to "retreat from the entanglements" (tuilei jJ3 ~) of the mundane world to
study the scriptures and perform rituals on behalf of all the living. This is thus
one of the earliest warrants for the establishment of a professional priesthood.
The ritual centers on the covenants (meng M) entered into between master
and disciple before the gods. Both parties place their own lives, and those of
their ancestors, in forfeit of descent into the hells for "ten thousand kalpas" if
either of them defame the scriptures or transmit them to the unworthy.
At the climax of this complex ritual, the master calls from his body the
twenty-four spirits and their envoys to dispatch to the celestial realms his an-
nouncement of scriptural transmission. He then recites the primary incanta-
tions, secret language, and other formulas of the scriptures. Having received
these primary bits of arcana, the disciples recite their covenant and participate
in the singing of the *Buxu ci (Lyrics for Pacing the Void) and other hymns
of praise and commitment. Upon completion of the rite, the newly-invested
disciples officiate over a *zhai (Retreat) ritual of thanksgiving lasting three days.

Stephen R. BOKENKAMP

m Benn 1991,124-35 and passim; Ofuchi Ninji 1997, 331-43
* Lu Xiujing; Lingbao; ORDINATION AND PRIESTHOOD

Lingbao wufu xu

Prolegomena to the Five Talismans of the Numinous Treasure

The Lingbao wufu xu is a key text for understanding the formative stage of
Taoist religion, form the late Han through the fifth century. The extant ver-
sion (eT 388) was probably compiled over a period of a century, between the
late third and early fifth centuries, though the main redaction was probably
complete by the early fourth century. Incorporating much early material, the
text is closer to the traditions of the *fangshi and the "weft" texts (weishu ~:&;
see *TAOISM AND THE APOCRYPHA) than to the developed Taoist scriptures.
Though it was in the possession of *Ge Hong, and was transmitted among