The Method of Offering Food in the Numinous Treasure Tradition has an unknown author and is believed to have been written by Taoist priests during the Tang or Song dynasties. It is included in Xu Daozang (the Supplementary Taoist Canon).
This text records the Taoist ritual for offering food to wandering spirits of the deceased.
The ritual procedures include reciting the Mantra for Purifying the Three Karmas, the Earth God Mantra, the Scripture of Saving the Suffering, the Mantra of Universal Illumination for Ghosts and Spirits, the Mantra of Sweet Dew for Opening the Throat, the Mantra of Transforming Food, and the Karma-Removing Mantra from the Scripture of the Five Kitchens. It also propagates the Three Refuges, the Nine True Precepts, and the Four Great Vows.
At the end, the Mantra of Distributing Food is chanted, pure offerings are set out, and food is universally bestowed upon the wandering spirits. It is prayed that with this merit, relatives, teachers, and disciples may all attain the Dao.
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