The Celestial Confession Liturgy 太上灵宝朝天谢罪大忏

The Grand Repentance Scripture of Supreme Lingbao for Paying Homage to Heaven and Atoning for Sins The author is unknown. Judging from its content and wording, it should have been compiled by Taoist priests during the Southern Song Dynasty.

Consisting of ten scrolls, it is included in The Daozang (the authoritative collection of Taoist scriptures), specifically categorized under ritual texts in The Dongzhen Section (the True Reality Division).

Divided into ten chapters, the entire text claims to be the doctrine expounded by the Yuanshi Shangdi (Primeval Supreme Lord). It states that the Yuanshi Shangdi gathered with all immortals in the Great Luo Heaven and preached the profound Taoist teachings. Observing that all beings in the declining age were ignorant and deluded, failing to uphold the Three Treasures, and trapped in sins without liberation, the Supreme Lord showed great compassion and dispatched True Immortals to descend to the mortal world and disseminate this scripture.

It proclaims that emperors, kings, queens, nobles, and Taoist believers of the world, if they can sincerely pay homage to the Heavenly Honored Ones of the ten directions, Supreme Lords, True Immortals, Heavenly Masters, and all celestial officials, recite this scripture at fixed times, or hold rituals to pay homage to Heaven, atone for their sins, will be able to stabilize the state's fortune, dispel disasters, and receive blessings. At the end of each scroll of the text, there is attached one Ode to Paying Homage to Heaven and Atoning for Sins by Mr. Chongmiao. Mr. Chongmiao is suspected to be Jiang Zongying, the 38th patriarch of the Shangqing Sect in the Southern Song Dynasty.