Lingshu Duming Jing: Sacred Hymns for Daoist Salvation

Tai Shang [Dong Xuan Ling Bao] Zhu Tian Ling Shu Du Ming Miao Jing (The Supreme [Mysterious Grotto Spiritual Treasure] Divine Scripture of the Heavenly Realms for Delivering Life, the Wonderful Scripture)

As one of the ancient Taoist Lingbao Scriptures, it was probably compiled in the late Eastern Jin Dynasty to the early Southern Dynasties (c. 4th–5th centuries CE).

It was already recorded in Lu Xiujing’s Lingbao Scripture Catalog (Lingbao Jing Mu).

Consisting of one volume, it is included in the Benwen (Original Text) category of the Dongzhen (True Grotto) Section in the Daozang (Taoist Canon).

This scripture is pseudonymously attributed to the Yuanshi Tianzun (Primordial Heavenly Lord), who is depicted as preaching to the Tai Shang Dao Jun (Supreme Dao Lord) and the Heavenly Emperors of the East, West, South, and North.

It describes five blissful realms: the Land of Great Blessings (Da Fu Tang Guo), the Eastern Ultimate Great Floating Li Realm (Dong Ji Da Fu Li Guo), the Southern Ultimate Red Bright Realm (Nan Ji Chi Ming Guo), the Western Ultimate Ultimate Bliss Realm (Xi Ji Ji Le Guo), and the Northern Ultimate Trouble-Free Realm (Bei Ji Wu Huan Guo). These realms are said to be "devoid of cries of sorrow, with only sounds of joy," because all inhabitants there have obtained the "Spiritual True Precious Text" (Ling Zhen Bao Wen).

The so-called "Spiritual True Precious Text" refers to four odes titled "The Life-Delivering Chapters of the Divine Scriptures of the Heavenly Realms" (Zhu Tian Ling Shu Du Ming Zhang). These are hymns sung by the true immortals and jade maidens of the heavenly realms. According to the scripture, if ordinary people recite these chapters, they can invoke divine guardians, harmonize their physical bodies and souls, attain a long life, and ascend directly to paradise.

This work represents an early Taoist practice of reciting scriptures and contemplating deities.