Page 720 - The Encyclopedia of Taoism v1_A-L

T H E ENCYCLOPEDIA OF TAO ISM A-L

and shamanic methods, through competing lineages of southern China, to the
systematized Taoist scriptural revelations of the fourth century and beyond.
The text further introduces several concepts and practices which were to
become central in the emerging Taoist syntheses of later centuries.
GilRAZ

III Bokenkamp 1983; Bokenkamp I986d; Ishii Masako 1981; Ishii Masako
1984; Kaltenmark 1960; Kaltenmark 1982; Kobayashi Masayoshi 1990, 45- 104;
Lagerwey 2004a; Raz 2003; Schipper I99Ib; Yamada Toshiaki 1984; Yamada
Toshiaki I987a; Yamada Toshiaki I987b; Yamada Toshiaki I989b
* Lingbao

Lingbao wuliang duren shangjing dafa

Great Rites of the Superior Scripture of the Numinous Treasure
on Limitless Salvation

This anonymous compendium (CT 219) was probably compiled around 1200 by
a disciple of *Ning Benli (uOI- 8I) and enlarged during the early Ming period.
It is based on a new interpretation of the main *Lingbao scripture, the *Duren
jing (Scripture on Salvation), involving new incantations, talismans (*FU), and
practices, especially those deriving from a secret way of reading the scripture
(j. 5- 7) that provides expanded powers to heal and protect adepts, but mainly
in the service of saving the dead. The important rites for Salvation through
Refinement (*liandu) central to the *Shenxiao (Divine Empyrean) tradition
also figure prominently here. The text states that this interpretation derives
from the August One of Heavenly Perfection (Tianzhen huangren ::X~ii!.A),
who both made the scripture's sacred characters intelligible to human eyes and
ears, and explained the talismans to the Yellow Emperor (*Huangdi).
The Duren shangjing dafa is closely related to both texts entitled *Shangqing
lingbao dafa (Great Rites of the Numinous Treasure of Highest Clarity; CT 1221
and CT 1222- 23). While giving a full and detailed description of the *Lingbao
dafa (Great Rites of the Numinous Treasure) tradition, which it refers to as
"the Way to save souls from hell" (53.1a), a nearer source of its inspiration may
have been the Shenxiao tradition. Filled with diagrams that provide clues to
section (57.2b- 5b) printed separately as Lingbao dalian neizhixingchijiyao a.
the foundations of Taoist ritual, the text also suggest subtle means of turn-
ing one's inner body into an ritual arena for saving souls, particularly in the