Taishang Dongxuan Lingbao Jinggong Miaojing — Revealed to the Left Transcendent Duke of the Great Ultimate

This is a Lingbao (靈寶) revelation scripture, preserved in the Daoist Canon's Cavern-of-Mystery division. It opens on Mount Ruoye, where an immortal styled the Left Transcendent Duke of the Great Ultimate — an epithet given elsewhere in the Lingbao tradition to the patriarch Ge Xuan (c. 164–244) — sits seven days in stillness until three Perfected Ones descend in chariots of light, sent by the Celestial Worthy, to answer a grief he has carried unspoken: a vision, on a single day, of hell's starving and mutilated dead.

In the long dialogue that follows, the three Perfected Ones — Yuluoqiao, Guangmiaoyin, and Zhendingguang — teach him the rite that answers that vision: the Pure Offering (淨供), a gift of fruit, incense, and a night of ritual observance, made on eight fixed days of the year, that frees ancestors and the hungry ghosts of the Six Paths from hunger and torment. The scripture is undated; its close absorption of Buddhist doctrine — no-self, the Dharma-realm, giving that does not cling to appearances, the Six Paths of rebirth — places it within the long tradition of Buddhist-influenced Lingbao writing that grew from the Six Dynasties into the Tang, but nothing internal fixes a year.

The whole text is continuous prose: a frame narrative of revelation and questioning, broken by two short parables the Duke tells of his own past sorrow and joy, and closed by his charge to all who come after him. There are no verse sections to preserve. One term is worth flagging for the reader: 相 (here "marks" or "appearances") is the scripture's own borrowing from the Diamond Sutra's language of giving without clinging to appearances, applied here to justify the pure, unattached form of ritual offering that gives the text its title.

Translated for the Good Works Library directly from the classical Chinese of the Daoist Canon, printed in full below the translation. To our knowledge, this is the scripture's first complete published English translation.

Translation

At that time, the Left Transcendent Duke of the Great Ultimate, on the highest summit of Mount Ruoye, at the utmost peak among the clouds, sat in deep concentration in a still place. He had forever silenced the six dusts; within, he was empty and clear; body and mind unmoving, he did not run after conditions — and so, through seven days, he attained tranquil stability.

At noon of the following day, he suddenly heard bells and drums ringing out in confusion from above. Amid the drifting clouds, great heavenly music sounded. In a moment, heaven rained down fragrant flowers — great blossoms and small ones alike, each flower a hundred petals wide, round and vast as a cartwheel, of no fixed size and colors that never held still: some blue-green, some yellow, some vermilion, some purple, some formed of the Seven Treasures, transforming endlessly, wondrous and rare beyond telling. These heavenly flowers could not be fully described. There were also many kinds of incense — powdered incense, pearl incense, the incense of a hundred blends, incense of the Seven Treasures — and all these fragrances rose to heaven, their scent rich and sweet, filling the mountains and forests entire.

Within the clouds there now appeared five-colored flying clouds, and Eight-Effulgence chariots, rank on rank, bearing a retinue of divine transcendents thirty thousand strong. All these transcendents were possessed of wisdom, clear understanding, and eloquence, perfected in the Six Penetrations — inconceivably so. Within three of the chariots he saw Perfected Ones, each bearing at the neck a round halo of five-colored light blazing through the void, each wearing a jeweled crown and garments of cloud-brocade worked with gold, their pearls bright as the moon and strung as necklaces. With the thirty-two greater marks and eighty lesser excellent signs, radiant and pure, each rode forward in his chariot and came to rest before him.

The Perfected One of the first, the Jeweled Chariot, announced his own name: "I am called Yuluoqiao." The Perfected One of the second, the Jade Chariot, announced his own name: "I am called Guangmiaoyin — Light of Wondrous Sound." The Perfected One of the third, the Green Chariot, announced his own name: "I am called Zhendingguang — Light of True Stillness."

The three Perfected Ones together, with one voice, praised him: "Excellent, excellent! Good son — through measureless, boundless kalpas you have set yourself to great diligence, constantly practiced forbearance, and moved the mind of compassion, until you have come to this day when, drawn by nothing else, body and mind unmoving, you have attained the mind of no-self. Having no mind of self, you likewise have no mind of other; having no mind of other, you likewise have no mind of distinction; having no mind of distinction, you have attained the mind of equality. Good son, that you should attain such a mind on this mountain, and accomplish the fruit of the Way, is inconceivable. We come now bearing the word of the Celestial Worthy: having heard that your merit fills the whole world and answers the heavens above, we have been sent here, with our retinues, to bear witness to your true practice and bring your path to completion — to cause all who come after to attain understanding, to cause all who come after to enter the city of the Dharma, to cause all who come after to attain the Dharma that is without marks. It is for this reason that we have come down."

At this the Transcendent Duke rose at once from his seat and pressed his head and face to the ground. When the Perfected One Yuluoqiao had finished speaking, he remained bowed a long while before rising, and, making obeisance, said: "Why is it, great Perfected Ones, that your radiant forms should be such as these — that you should rain down fragrant flowers, with all these wonders and such signs of good omen? I do not know, on this day, by what cause, for what reason, you have bent down such grace to reach even me. I beg only that the great Perfected Ones show me, and bring me to understand this causal connection fully — that this blind and foolish one may come to know these conditions, and in the end accomplish the fruit of the unsurpassed Way."

The first Perfected One, Yuluoqiao, said: "Excellent, excellent, good son. What was it you once wished for — what were you thinking?" The Transcendent Duke said: "In truth it is sealed on my lips; I have not dared to speak it." The great Perfected One said: "The reason I have come is to bring that wish to completion — to make you, in time to come, raise up the great bridge of the Dharma, build the great vessel of salvation, open the great causal connection, and spread abroad great merit. It is for this that I have come down."

The Transcendent Duke rose again, made obeisance, and spoke once more: "Perfected One, great teacher, who wakens my foolishness — I wish to ask something, but have not dared to inquire. I beg only that the great Perfected One receive my poor words." The Perfected One said: "Very well, very well — ask as you wish." The Transcendent Duke said: "On the seventh day of the seventh month, in a single thought, I beheld the ten directions and saw all the hells there — shadowy souls and hungry ghosts swallowing fire and eating coals, climbing mountains of knives, their heads and hands torn apart from them; some with their bodies cast into cauldrons of boiling water, their limbs rotted away until no shape of a ghost remained — every suffering, every pain, inconceivable. The suffering of the Dharma-realm could truly be no greater; and in that single thought, seeing such suffering, I did not notice that every joint and pore of my own body had run with blood, as if I myself were being torn limb from limb. What I thought then is exactly as I have told it now. I do not know: by what merit can the great Perfected Ones save all such shadowy souls, free them from affliction, give them their fill, and bring them to liberation?"

At these words the Perfected One snapped his fingers for joy and said: "Excellent, excellent, good son — that you should say such a thing is truly inconceivable. I will tell you now; listen closely, and I shall explain it." The great Perfected One then declared: "It is only the auspicious days of the Three Primes and the season of the Five La-offerings — eight days in all — that are meant. If, in a chapel before the Altar of Mystery, one respectfully invites Daoist priests to perform the rites of the Way through the night, and offers incense and oil, and prepares every kind of sweet fruit, heaping it into a mountain — great or small according to means, or else set out on trays, adorned in every way — and offers it up to the Celestial Worthy, then through this act of compassion the benefit reaches the ten directions, and the prisoners and hungry ghosts of the hells, measureless and boundless, all attain liberation.

"If one has committed a grave offense — slandering the great Way, or destroying the scriptures or the pure precepts, or a Daoist priest who keeps them — this is called a grave offense. If one has killed one's father or harmed one's mother, attacked one's own master, or plotted against one's sovereign, this too is a grave offense. If one has committed such an offense, then only through such an offering may one, for a time, obtain a response and attain liberation. If the offense is lighter, then through this offering, and through the night-long rites of the Way, one attains liberation forever, and is fully satisfied all at once.

"Good son, build up this blessing well, and let those born hereafter — compassionate Daoist priests and filial children alike — all make offerings to their forebears; whether deceased father or mother, sister or brother, all shall attain liberation, satisfied and never hungry again. Whoever does not observe these eight days, and does not respectfully make offerings to their forebears, is unfilial. Tell all who come after: cultivate the pure offering diligently. Not only do ghosts and spirits thereby attain liberation — the wealth of the living increases, and they are not harmed by ancestors seven generations back. Not only are they unharmed by ancestors seven generations back — no ghost, spirit, outside demon, or bandit can harm them at all. Why is this so? Ordinary people of the world, following only what they happen to see, seek out demons and ghosts and sacrifice to their forebears without regard to the eight days; sacrificing in this way misleads the forebears and brings the offerer further offense instead. Why is this? When sacrifice is not made in accordance with the eight days, the souls remain hungry, and in their hunger give rise to harm, drawing in outside demons and joining with them to work calamity. But when sacrifice is properly made, in accordance with the eight days, the departed rejoice, no calamity results, and no demon, spirit, or bandit can do harm. Such is the principle."

The Transcendent Duke spoke again: "Excellent. What the celestial Perfected One has just said of the great pure offering, I can now understand. But as to the eight days you have named, I have not yet learned which they are — grant me their particulars."

The Perfected One said: "These eight days are: the fifteenth of the first month, the fifteenth of the seventh month, and the fifteenth of the tenth month — these are called the days of the Three Primes. There is further the first day of the first month, called Heaven's La; the fifth day of the fifth month, called Earth's La; the seventh day of the seventh month, called the La of the Way and Its Power; the first day of the tenth month, called the Commoners' Annual La; and whatever day of La falls within the twelfth month, called the La of Kings and Lords. Taken together, these are named the eight days. If offerings are made on any day but these eight, one will never arrive at the recompense of offense or blessing, exactly as explained before. Good son, hold this firmly in your heart. What I have now declared is the statute laid down by the Three Heavens themselves, written in purple script with letters of gold, the constant ordinance of heaven and earth — inconceivable. How could it not be revered? Practice it well."

The second Perfected One, Guangmiaoyin, addressed the Transcendent Duke: "Excellent, excellent, good son. The merit of this is vast, beyond measure. I, receiving the word of the Celestial Worthy, was sent down to you together with my fellow transcendents and their retinues. Why is this? Because it is inconceivable; because nothing at all is gained by it. Good son, these eight days just explained are inconceivable — they are called the Eight Liberations. On these days, at the hour of dawn, set up seats for the Six Paths; prepare pure, fragrant hot water, garments and every implement, and sweet food and drink, and arrange them all in order. Let the Daoist priest, in the place of the ritual arena, present at first light a single petition announcing the rite of purification. At noon, let the rites of the Way and the confession of thanks be performed — and the ancestral spirits of the offering households, all who have passed on, shall on this very day attain liberation and purity."

The Transcendent Duke said: "Excellent. That the great Perfected One can open the gate of liberation for every living being, and for the sake of nothing gained has condescended to come down to me — I do not yet know which paths are meant by the six paths just spoken of. I beg you, explain them fully."

The Perfected One said: "The first is the path of the heavens; the second, the path of humans; the third, the path of beasts; the fourth, the path of spirits; the fifth, the path of ghosts; the sixth, the path of the hells. These are called the Six Paths. Good son, seal this well in your heart — how could you fail to follow it?"

Then the third Perfected One, Zhendingguang, spoke: "Excellent, excellent. Good son, as to these eight days, the two great Perfected Ones before me have explained them fully — the order of their merit, and their principle, are now made entirely clear. I will now, last of all, explain the great causal connection, and wish to declare it to you. Do you wish to hear it?" The Transcendent Duke rose and made obeisance, saying: "Your compassion reaches wide, and does not abandon even a common mortal. My joy today cannot be put into words. I beg only that the great Perfected One illuminate my foolishness — how could it trouble you to ask?"

The Perfected One said: "We speak now bearing the word of the Celestial Worthy — this is truly on account of what you achieved in ages past. Why does your heart hesitate to speak? If you do not speak, you fall into ignorance, and cut off the true seed of the Way. It is, moreover, because of the merit you cultivated and completed in kalpas past that you are as you are now — why do you not speak? Good son, as to what was said before, concerning the causal connection of offering and merit, there are two meanings. What are the two? The first is offering that clings to marks — this is called finite. The second is offering that does not cling to marks — this is called the pure offering, and is called infinite. Why is this? It is like the waters of the rivers and seas, turning without end — this scripture makes clear the meaning of the inexhaustible in just this way. Again, it is like empty space, without border or limit, beyond all measure — I now make clear the meaning of the inexhaustible in just this way. If the waters of the rivers and seas turned to their end, then this meaning of the inexhaustible that I make clear would itself have an end. But since the bounds of empty space, and of the rivers and seas, can never in the end be known or measured, the meaning of the inexhaustible is thereby shown, and it is just so.

"Good son, you should also know the meaning of the finite, made clear and distinguished. As for the finite: it is like a person who recites the verses of the scriptures — one verse, two stanzas, from three lines to four, even up to a hundred thousand million verses — this still is not to be called much. Why? Because if he recites them for others, before many years have passed they will come to an end — this is called finite. I make clear the meaning of the finite in just this way. Again, it is like a person who attains the rank of a great king, wealthy and honored for generations, with gold and silver, lapis lazuli, coral, amber, and diamond, every kind of treasure filling an entire city — this too is not to be called much. Why? Because if he gives it all away in charity, before a month has passed it will come to an end — this too is finite. I make clear the meaning of the finite in just this way.

"But if one recites the verses of the scriptures with a mouth that speaks without end, and gives away every such treasure with a hand that bestows without limit — know then that what I have called offering that clings to marks is called finite for this reason: all that is limited is spent as the days of its giving pass, but what is unlimited cannot be exhausted even by kalpas. I make clear the meaning of the finite in just this way, and this is, in the end, so.

"Good son, the principle holds throughout — it is not only the merit of this offering that is so; every ritual retreat, every single night's vigil, is likewise so. How could one fail to practice it diligently? If you can constantly rouse your own heart, practice without clinging to marks, and rightly know the meaning of the inexhaustible, this will in turn surely bring you to accomplish the unsurpassed Way. Why is this? Because there is no self of body, and therefore no self of mind. Having no self of body, you have no self of mind. Having no self of mind, you likewise have no mind of another. Having no mind of another, every mind is then extinguished — this is called purity. You attain the concentration of no-mind; you attain the concentration of no-self.

"Good son, let me now fully resolve this saying. If a mind of self still remains, resting merely on the absence of a mind of another, then the mind of self is not yet extinguished — this is called attaining no-self of body and mind, but not yet the no-self of the very realm of the body. If you wish to seek the no-self of the Dharma-realm, you must know that it was originally without self and is now without self; knowing that it was originally without and is now without, you then know that there is likewise no Dharma-realm at all. The Dharma-realm being without existence, it is then neither born nor extinguished. Being neither born nor extinguished, know also that it is not 'unborn' either, nor 'unextinguished' either — for this saying, 'neither born nor extinguished,' is spoken only for the sake of expounding the teaching; it is for this reason that it is said, 'neither born nor extinguished.' One who attains this principle may then be called capable of making the pure offering; may then be called one who has attained the no-self of the Dharma-realm; may then be called one who has attained the purity of the Dharma-realm.

"Good son, what I have said last of all is exactly what the measureless, boundless Celestial Worthies, Perfected Ones, transcendents, and sages of the Way have practiced since ages past, together with all the mighty ghost-kings and spirit-kings of the ten directions — and by it they attained the unsurpassed Way. Though you are not yet, at this time, entered by name among their ranks, your rank and title are already the Left Transcendent Duke of the Great Ultimate. Being already so great in transcendent rank, how could you now fail to practice this? You shall surely come to ascend to the sagehood of the Perfected, complete in the Six Penetrations, and accomplish the unsurpassed Way."

At this the Transcendent Duke rose at once from his seat, made obeisance, and spoke in thanks: "That I should now, so suddenly, encounter the great Perfected Ones, and be given such words as these, is truly a rare thing. Through measureless kalpas I have practiced every kind of merit, and have met transcendents before, who always taught me only the lesser methods of nourishing life, of lesser vehicle and lesser wisdom. Never has there been, until now, anything so subtle and wondrous as what the great Perfected Ones have spoken — without border, without limit, inconceivable. My accumulated burdens, like ice long gathered and frozen hard, meet fire this morning and melt entirely away, leaving nothing behind; and my freedom now is just the same.

"It is again like the story of a man who sold his son: his father, mother, and brothers, four in all, wailing in grief, inconceivably — before a moment had passed — found every storehouse of gold and silver filled to overflowing, and so got their son back, and rejoiced beyond measure. My joy now is just the same. Or again, it is like the daughter of a king in days gone by, named Guayin, grievously afflicted and unable to speak, who was abandoned in the deep mountains, hungry and worn thin, her life ebbing away — until she was moved to feel a Perfected One descend and show himself to her, whereupon her illness was healed at once; she became fully able to speak, and ate her fill, and rejoiced beyond measure. My joy now is just the same.

"I beg only that the great Perfected Ones bid their numinous carriages pause a little longer in this forest, and not yet rise and depart."

The great Perfected Ones said: "We go now, but shall not be long in returning." Their parting words finished, the three chariots departed one after another; the transcendent musicians who led and followed rose into the void, reaching beyond the very clouds, and in a moment were nowhere to be found.

The Transcendent Duke received the teaching with reverence and carried it out. When the fifteenth day came, he followed carefully what had been taught him, and broadly established the pure offering, complete in every ritual form. He built a great mountain of fruit, eighteen feet high, adorned in every way, subtle and rare beyond compare. Every kind of sweet fruit filled the mountains and forests, and rice and grain besides, in great abundance.

At noon that day, the spirit-beings of the ten directions' hells and the Six Paths, each different in bodily form, measureless and boundless, all came together in assembly. Among these ghosts was a great king named Dawei — Great Might — who came forward with the others; together they made obeisance, and with one voice praised him: "Excellent, excellent!" King Dawei said: "The Daoist priest of the pure precinct has been able, for our sake, to open the gate of liberation. On this day, whether my own kin or not my kin, measureless and boundless, we have all come gathering like clouds, and together received purity, and attained liberation. Were it not for pure precepts and compassion, who could have built this pure offering for the sake of me and all my kin? We wish only that the Master of the Dharma may soon accomplish great transcendence, and realize the unsurpassed Way." And all the beings of the heavens, and among humans, the beasts, spirits and ghosts, and the shadowy souls of the hells, spoke these same words together.

When these words were finished, they all bathed in fragrant water, dressed themselves in adorned garments, sat each in their place, and were given food and drink in full. When the noon hour ended, the king and all his kin each took leave of the Transcendent Duke, saying: "Master of the Dharma — excellent, excellent, inconceivable! Because of this compassion, measureless souls have attained liberation." Having said this, they bowed their heads to the ground and departed.

The Transcendent Duke declared to all good sons and good daughters born hereafter: "Through measureless, boundless kalpas until this very day, only now have I received these essential words from the great Perfected Ones — truly inconceivable. Though I once received from a great Perfected One a scripture that taught the offering, its explanation was brief and slight, not sudden and complete like this present teaching of every cause and connection, whose meaning runs deep and far, reaching even to this. I have also seen a scripture called the Great Offering, which speaks only of the Three Primes, does not make clear the eight days, and does not tell of merit as vast as this, without border, without limit, inconceivable.

"Good sons and daughters — how could you fail to honor and follow this? Whoever is able to revere and practice this scripture shall be called a filial child, repaying the debt of birth and rearing owed to father and mother — and not only the parents who bore your flesh, but your true parents as well. Having repaid what is true, you shall rise by degrees to the fruits of the Way. But whoever slanders it and does not believe, and does not make offerings to their forebears, is unfilial, and betrays their true parents. Why is this? If offerings are not made to the forebears, the ghost-souls go hungry — this is unfilial. Being unfilial, one gives rise to slander; and having slandered, one wrongs the forebears. Then the departed father and mother suffer every affliction, while the offender, in this present body and age, is harmed by demon-kings and ghostly bandits, and suffers diseases of wind and leprosy, and every kind of pain, receiving all of it in full. Let the sons and daughters of times to come each take heed and be careful."

Colophon

This Good Works Translation was prepared for the Lingbao Salvation Scriptures shelf of the Good Works Library. The English was translated independently from the classical Chinese text printed below. The scripture is a single continuous narrative in prose, with no verse sections; its long source paragraphs have been broken here at natural turns of speech for readability, but nothing has been added, omitted, or reordered in doing so.

Before the claim below was written, a translation-status check was performed: Komjathy's bibliography of Daoist texts in English translation and the 2023 Purple Cloud survey of Daoist texts in Western languages were both searched — by Chinese title, by romanization, and by surrounding class terms — and returned no listing for this scripture. Two web searches were then run, the Chinese title and the pinyin title each paired with "English translation," and found no published translation; the only substantive hit was the scripture's own listing on the Chinese Text Project, which one search summary associated with the catalogue number DZ 376, a figure we could not confirm against a primary source (a follow-up attempt to check that listing directly returned an access error, and was not retried) and so do not assert here. To our knowledge, this is the first complete published English translation of the Taishang Dongxuan Lingbao Jinggong Miaojing. We state this as the limit of our knowledge, not as a certainty.

Two small honesty notes. First, 相 (translated "marks") is the scripture's own term for the Diamond Sutra's distinction between offering that clings to appearances and offering that does not (住相供獻 / 不住相供獻); the vocabulary is Buddhist, and the translation leaves it visible rather than folding it into a purely Daoist idiom. Second, near the end of the teaching on no-self, the transcribed source reads 得法界清爭, where the final character 爭 ("contend") stands where every other occurrence of this phrase in the scripture has 淨 ("pure"); we translate by sense, as "the purity of the Dharma-realm," on the working assumption that this is a transcription variant, and note it here rather than silently emending the Chinese text below. Two names of minor figures are translated by their likeliest sense — Guangmiaoyin as "Light of Wondrous Sound," Zhendingguang as "Light of True Stillness" — while a third, Yuluoqiao, is kept close to the transcription; our gloss of the princess Guayin's name as "Snagged Voice," tying it to her muteness in the story, is a plausible guess and no more.

Prepared for the Good Work Library by the Tianmu Anglican Church with AI-assisted translation and editorial work.

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Source Text: 太上洞玄靈寶淨供妙經

Classical Chinese text of the Zhengtong Daozang, in the Chinese Wikisource transcription. Presented complete for reference, study, and verification alongside the English translation above.

爾時，太極左仙公於若耶山崇高之頂最極雲峰，精思靜處，永息六塵，內虛沖素，身心不動，亦不緣馳，是七日中而得寂定。來日午時，忽聞上方鐘鼓亂鳴，浮雲之際，作天大樂。俄頃之間，天雨香花，乃及大花，或復小花，花皆百葉，縱廣圓大，有如車輪，大小不定，色相無常。或青，或黃，或朱，或紫，或成七寶，種種變異，殊妙希有。是諸天花，非可具顯。復有諸香、末香、珠香、百和之香、七寶香等，如是諸香，香皆衝天，其氣芯芬，亘滿山林。爾時雲中復有五色飛雲，八景輩輿，神仙眷屬三萬人俱。是諸仙等，皆善智慧，明了辯才，六通成就，不可思議。見三輿內並有真人，項負圓光，光皆五色，晃曜虛空，首冠寶冠，衣皆雲錦，金鏤莊嚴，珠皆明月，用為纓絡。三十二相，八十種好，顯照淨明，各乘輦輿而住於前。第一寶輿真人，自稱名曰我鬱羅翹。第二玉輿真人，自稱名曰我光妙音。第三綠輿真人，自稱名日我真定光。三真同聲讚言：善哉善哉。善男子，汝於無量無邊之劫，建大精進，常行忍辱，運慈悲心，得於今日，不緣他事，身心不動，得無我心。既無我心，亦無他心，既無他心，亦無別心。既無別心，得平等心。善男子，汝於此山得無是心，成就道果，不可思議。我等今者，奉天尊言，聞子功德，滿於世界，上應諸天，令我來此，與諸眷屬，證明實行，成就子道。使諸來生，得有所知；使諸來生，得入法城；使諸來生，得無相法。以是因緣，故來而降。

是時，仙公即從座起，頭面著地，聽真人鬱羅翹說言已畢，良久乃起，作禮而言：云何大真，光相如是，復雨香花，種種變異，瑞相如此。不審今日，是何因緣，以何義故，曲垂恩逮，乃至如是。特願大真示我，令悟决了因緣。當令愚瞽，覺曉諸緣，必竟成就無上道果。

爾時，第一真人鬱羅翹言：善哉善哉，善男子。汝昔所願，為念云何。仙公曰：實緘在口，未敢便言。大真曰：我今來者，成就子願，欲使將來，興大法橋，作大舟橄，開大因緣，弘大功德。以是義故，而降此也。仙公復起作禮，而重白言：真人大師，悟我愚蒙，欲有所問，未敢諮請。唯願大真，採我鄙言。真人曰：大善大善，隨汝所問。仙公曰：我已今七月七日，於一念中，觀見十方，是諸地獄，幽魂餓鬼，吞火食炭，履陟刀山，頭手異處。或身入鑊湯，五體爛壞，無復鬼形，諸苦諸痛，不可思議。法界中苦，實不能加，而我一念，見如是苦，不覺身體百節毛孔，並皆流血，有如支解。是昔所念，具如今言。不審大真，作何功德，能救如是一切幽魂，得無煩惱，具諸飽滿，而得解脫。

爾時，真人得斯語已，彈指歡言：善哉善哉，善男子，作如是言，實不可思議。吾今告子，諦而聽之，當為汝說是。大真人即告言曰：唯三元吉日，五臘節者，總名八日。能於玄壇精舍，奉請道士，宿宵行道，及供香油，作諸甘果，積聚為山，隨其大小，或復柈合，種種莊嚴，上獻天尊。因此慈悲，惠及十方，無量無邊，地獄囚徒餓鬼，皆得解脫。若犯重罪，謗於大道，及毀諸經淨戒道士，是名重罪。若殺父害母，攻伐師主，謀逆國君，亦名重罪。若犯此罪，由得暫時應其供獻，而得解脫。若罪輕者，因此供獻，宿宵行道，永得解脫，俱時飽滿。善男子，善弘建之福，使來生慈悲道士及孝子，皆得餉於先人，或亡父母、姊妹弟兄，皆得解脫，飽滿無飢。若不同此八日，不奉餉先人者，即為不孝。告諸來生，勤修淨供，非但鬼神而得解脫，見世之人財寶增益，不為七世先人之所傷害。非但七世先人不能傷害，一切鬼神、外魔鬼賊不能傷害。何以故。世間凡夫，或於所見，求諸魔鬼，祠祭先人，不依八日，而祠餉之，番悮先人，而更得罪。何以
故。祠餉不依八日，則魂靈飢餓，於飢餓中，即生傷害，招引外魔，合為凶害。若祠餉得所，依於八日，則先亡歡悅，不為禍害，一切魔鬼賊等，不能為害，理致如是。

仙公又言：善哉。天真向所說者，淨供獻大而可知。云言八日，未辯是何，賜垂分別。

真人言：是八日者，正月十五日、七月十五日、十月十五日，是名三元之日。復有正月一日，是名天臘；五月初五日，是名地臘；七月七日，是名道德臘；十月一日，是名民歲臘；十二月遇臘日，是名王侯臘。是名而言，總名八日。若非八日而祠餉之，終不得達罪福之報，具如前說。善男子，堅持在心，吾今說者，是上三天之所科格，紫書金題天地常儀，不可思議，可不尊重，善奉行之。

第二真人光妙音告仙公言：善哉善哉，善男子。功德巨大，不可限量。我奉天尊言，令我與諸神仙眷屬，降於子耶。何以故。為不可思議故，為無所得故。善男子，向所說者，是名八日，不可思議，名八解脫。當於此日卯時，安六道座，清淨香湯，及諸衣服外具，甘撰飲食，次第安之。道士於道場中所，清旦奏沐浴章表一道。午時行道懺謝，施主等家先靈已往，皆於今日解脫清淨。

仙公曰：善哉。大真能為一切眾生開解脫門，為無所得迂降此耶。不審今說六道為是何道，請具說之。

真人曰：一者天道，二者人道，三者畜生道，四者神道，五者鬼道，六者地獄道，是名六道。善男子，善緘在心，可不遵耶。

復次第三真人真定光言：善哉善哉。善男子，是八日者，二大真人具說已竟，功德次第，理大分明。吾今最後說大因緣，使欲告子。子欲聞耶。仙公作禮而起，自言：慈悲廣被，不棄凡夫。今日踴躍，非意能陳。特願大真，照我愚蒙，豈煩諮請。

真人云：我等奉天尊言，實為過去重成就，子心云何不說。若不說者，即墮無明，斷真道種。且子往劫因修功德成辦，云何不說。善男子，向言供獻功德因緣，有二種意。何等二種。一者住相供獻，名為有盡。二者不住相供獻，名為淨供，名為無盡，何以故。譬如江海之水，輪轉無窮。是故此經明無盡義，亦復如是。又如虛空，無邊無際，不可限量。是故我今明無盡義，亦復如是。若江海之水，輪轉有盡，是故我今明無盡之義，便應有盡。若虛空江海，畢竟不可得知多少邊際，故示無盡之義，亦復如是。善男子，復應須知有盡之義，辯了分明。夫有盡者，譬如有人誦諸經句，一句兩偈，從三至四，乃至百千萬億之句，亦不為多。何以故。若為他說，不盈數歲，便為有盡。是故我今明有盡之義，亦復如是。復如有人得大王位，富貴累世，金銀、瑠璃、珊瑚、琥珀、金剛，諸珍鱗甲等，寶滿一城中，亦不為多。何以故。若用布施，不盈旬朔，便爾有盡。是故我今明有盡之義，亦復如是。若誦經句，口說無盡，及諸珍等，手施無窮，是故當知我今說者，住相供獻，名為有盡。何以故。夫一切有限之物，施隨日消，無限之物，非劫能轟。是故我今明有盡之義，必竟如是。善男子，理趣皆然，非但此供功德如是，凡為齋者，一會宿宵，亦復如是。可不勤行。若能常勵其心，行不住相，善知無盡義者，次定令汝成無上道。何以故，無我身故，無我心故。既無我身，即無我心。

既無我心，亦無他心。既無他心，諸心即滅，是名清淨。得無心定，得無我定。善男子，今復决了斯言。若有我心，息於他心，即我心不滅，是名得身心無我，未得身界無我。若欲求法界無我者，應須當知本無今無，既知本無今無，即知亦無法界。法界既無，則不生不滅。不生不滅，是故當知亦非不生，亦非不滅。所言不生不滅者，何以故，為說法故。是故云言不生不滅。得如是理，則名能為淨供，則名為得法界無我，則名為得法界清爭。善男子，我今最後說者，並是往古無量無邊天尊真人仙真聖道，并及十方諸大力鬼神王等之所履行，得無上道。子於今雖不名編，然位號曰太極左仙公。仙階之大，今可不履行。必定當得登真人聖，具足六通，成無上道。

爾時，仙公即從座起，作禮謝言：我今頓遭大真，賜如是言，實為希有。我從無量劫來，行諸功德，亦遇仙人，常為我說小乘小智養生之法。未有如今大真所說微妙，無邊無際，不可思議。我今結累，由如久積凝冰，一旦逢火，釋然消解，無復遺餘。我今無滯，亦復如是。復如法解賣兒，父母兄弟，四人悲號，不可思議，不期須臾，金銀諸庫，悉皆盈滿，遂得兒還，歡喜無量。我今歡喜，亦復如是。又如昔日國王有女，名曰絓音，六極不言，棄之深山，飢餓困乏，性命惙然，逐感真人下降示之，於是病便即愈，具足能言，而得飽滿，歡喜無量。我今歡喜，亦復如是。特願大真，命諸靈駕，暫停林藪，希未便騰。

大真言：我等今去，不久便來。別言已畢，是三輿輦，次第而去，諸仙伎樂，導從騰空，至於雲表。俄頃之間，不知所在。仙公敬而奉行，至十五日，謹依說法，弘建淨供，具如威儀。作大果山，山高丈八，種種莊嚴，微妙希有。諸雜甘果，徧滿山林，及諸米飯，亦復甚多。是日午時，十方地獄，六道含靈，身相各異，無量無邊，俱來集會。是諸鬼中，有一大王，王名大威，前進與諸鬼等，俱時作禮，同聲讚言：善哉善哉。大威王言：淨界道士，能為我等，開解脫門，得於今日，是我眷屬，非我眷屬，無量無邊，並來雲集，俱蒙清淨，而得解脫。若非淨戒慈悲，何能為我是諸眷屬，營建淨供。唯願法師不久成就大仙，證無上道。及諸天人、畜生神鬼，地獄幽魂，並同斯言。是言已畢，皆沐浴香湯，衣服莊嚴，依位而坐，飲食具足。午時了竟，大王與諸眷屬各辭仙公，言：法師，善哉善哉，不可思議。我等因此慈悲，有無量魂靈，而得解脫。作斯言已，稽首而去。

仙公告諸來生善男子善女人：我於無量無邊劫來，至於今日，始蒙大真說此要言，不可思議。雖前奉大真授我獻經，其議少略，不頓如今說諸因緣，其議深遠，乃至如此。復見有經，名曰《大獻》，直說三元，不明八日，不說功德廣大如是，無邊無際，不可思議。善男女等，可不尊奉，若能遵敬奉行此經，是人名曰孝子，報其父母生長之恩。非但胎生父母，亦得報其真父母也。得報真已，漸階道果。若有誹謗不信，不餉先人，是名不孝，違真父母。何以故。若不餉先人，鬼魂飢餓，是名不孝。既不孝已，既生誹謗，若誹謗已，則誤先人。是亡父母，受諸苦惱，其身現世，魔王鬼賊之所傷害，風癩之病，諸苦痛者，具足受之。將來男女，明各慎之。

Source Colophon

The Chinese text follows the Chinese Wikisource transcription of the Zhengtong Daozang edition of this scripture (article 太上洞玄靈寶淨供妙經, revision of 18 July 2009), inspected from a witness copy captured on 8 August 2026. Chinese Wikisource transcriptions are published under CC BY-SA 4.0 and the GFDL; the scripture itself is ancient and in the public domain. The wiki header and license templates have been removed; the text is otherwise complete and unaltered.

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