Supreme Rite for Transmission

A Transmitter is one who passes on the Orthodox Dharma and guides others to attain the Dao. All practitioners who truly possess a lineage must undergo such a process to be considered a formal disciple. Otherwise, even if they receive supernatural abilities, it cannot be called a master-disciple relationship. Instead, it would be seen as privately transmitting the lineage and leaking supernatural abilities, which is a grave transgression for many lineages.

Because Dharma cannot be easily transmitted, it must be examined repeatedly, assessing one's character and aptitude before the Orthodox Dharma can be taught.

For a disciple, being able to encounter a renowned master and receive the true Dharma is extremely important. However, for the teacher, finding a disciple who meets their expectations in terms of character, aptitude, and comprehension is equally a cause for celebration. To find such a person amidst countless beings and the vast sea of humanity is no less difficult than finding a needle in a haystack.

The young girl whispered in confusion, "I remember, the Rite of Transmission seems very important, requiring Three Masters, doesn't it?"

"Uncle Ox, is today's ceremony sufficient?"

The old ox watched the scene leisurely and said plainly, "There is indeed something called the Three Masters: the Master of Transmission, the Recommending Master, and the Supervising Master."

"But there is no one in this world who can serve as the Supervising Master for this ceremony."

"And the Recommending Master, who is supposed to recommend the disciple to enter the Dao, but alas..."

He sighed with emotion and said, "Does that senior need anyone to recommend them when they want to take a disciple?"

"And who else is qualified to recommend them?"

This matter was solemn. After Qi WuHuo was taken to bathe, he was brought back again.

He had once read Tantai Xuan's Record of Becoming Immortal. That book also recorded Tantai Xuan's experience of undergoing the Rite of Transmission and entering the Dao in his youth. Because it was an extremely important matter, he recorded it in great detail, seemingly worried about forgetting the procedure and making mistakes when transmitting the Dao to his own disciples in the future.

Therefore, Qi WuHuo knew that the first step should be [To lead the disciple before the Great Dao, bow three times, and offer incense].

Then, a post was written on a Jade Book, stating as follows: "Hereby, I offer incense to all the gods, the Supreme Saints, the Ten Levels of True Immortals, the Jade Emperor Heavenly Emperor, the Ziwei Great Emperor of the North, and the Houtu Empress Earthly Deity." The names of these immortal gods were written all the way down to the celestial courts and the underworld, encompassing all their divine might, to show the solemnity of taking a disciple into the Dao.

After bathing, Qi WuHuo was still wearing his blue robe, but he had untied the grass rope that had bound his hair. His black hair cascaded down.

The young boy's black hair fell to about his waist.

A table was already placed before him. The old man sat opposite the table, and Qi WuHuo was on the other side.

The two were separated by the table.

In the middle were only three sticks of clear incense.

The old man stroked his beard and smiled, asking, "WuHuo, do you know the ritual?"

Qi WuHuo nodded. He took a deep breath and, under the guidance of the man, respectfully offered three sticks of clear incense. Then, he picked up the brush, dipped it in golden ink, paused, and began to write on the white paper, just as Tantai Xuan had done back then—

"Hereby, I offer incense to..."

The old man glanced at it and then smiled, "You wrote it wrong."

Qi WuHuo raised his brush and looked at the old man. The old man pointed to the words on the scroll of white paper and said, "It's not 'offer incense'."

"Here, you should use '[Notify]'."

Qi WuHuo picked up his brush again and wrote, "[Respectfully Notify]" all the gods.

The old man said again, "You, you, there's no need to be so polite at this time. It's just a ceremony, no need for such elaborate formalities."

The old man said lightly, "Just '[Notify]' is enough."

Qi WuHuo slowly exhaled and continued to write, completing the Jade Book.

The old man stroked his beard and said, "Keep everything simple, no need to be overly complicated. I'll trouble you with this."

He looked at the man beside him.

The man smiled and cupped his hands, saying, "If a senior commands it, how dare I refuse?"

"However, since this is such a solemn occasion, my current attire is somewhat disrespectful."

He was wearing the clothes that common folk often wore when working in the fields. They were practical for labor, with rather short pant legs. But for solemn occasions, people in the mortal world would change into more formal attire. Thus, the man, who looked honest and simple, rubbed his hands and chuckled, "Speaking of which, I never expected to have this honor, so I didn't prepare in advance."

"It's truly disrespectful. Coincidentally, my wife just made me a new set."

"Please allow me to change and return."

In just a moment, he returned.

He had also changed his clothes, which looked like a Daoist robe, or perhaps a general's battle armor.

He wore a Xuan Crown on his head, battle boots on his feet, a jade belt around his waist, and a brocade battle robe. It was exquisitely crafted, embroidered with scenes of mountains, rivers, water, and all things and spirits below, and adorned with the pattern of the second constellation of the Black Tortoise in the Twenty-Eight Mansions above. Brilliant stars, radiant Shangqing, his brows shone with light, and his aura was majestic. He was like the Star Lord of the Second Mansion of the Black Tortoise descending into the world, like a heavenly deity from the Ox mansion, whose aura pierced the heavens.

He had Qi WuHuo stand before the incense table and scroll and said with a smile, "I never expected that I would be the one to serve as the [Master of Transmission]."

He then asked Qi WuHuo not to move.

He personally removed Qi WuHuo's worldly attire, even taking off his shoes. The worldly clothes were then burned.

Only a white inner robe remained.

Then, he had the blue-robed woman bring over a tray. He took out a pair of simple shoes and said with a smile, "First, put on these shoes."

The old man, with his whisk resting on his arm, said gently, "You shall step into these shoes, forever separating yourself from the six dusts. Though the path to enlightenment is long, it begins with the first step. This step is the initial intention."

"May you wholeheartedly devote yourself to the Dao and tread upon the spiritual altar."

He then said plainly, "My disciple, wearing these [shoes], shall not tread upon evil grounds or enter places of demons and monsters wherever they may go."

"Attend the Dharma Assembly often, and directly ascend the immortal steps."

The man then called over another woman in a green robe and took out the water-cloud robe, which was predominantly blue and white. This attire was different from ordinary Daoist robes; it was more simple, elegant, dashing, and poised. It was divided into an upper garment and a lower skirt. First, he took out the lower skirt and tied it around the waist, letting it hang down.

Next, he brought out the cloud sleeves of the water-cloud robe. He first used arm guards to secure the inner garment before putting on the wide cloud sleeves with their water-cloud patterns.

He lightly cut the rosy clouds and tailored them into a Dharma robe.

The upper part is a cloak of frost silk, and the lower part is a skirt of soaring clouds; it is the garment of the middle Dao, which cannot be separated from the body for a moment.

Finally, there was the blue outer robe. It was originally very wide, reaching down to the knees. He took a five-colored silk sash and tied it around the waist, making it simple, elegant, and giving a sense of a heroic young man.

The old man watched the young man before him, seeing him shed his worldly clothes and put on a white inner garment.

He put on Daoist shoes, wore the Daoist robe, cloud sleeves, and tied the silk sash, finally transforming into a handsome young Daoist.

The old man's expression was gentle as he said, "Clothing is one; it signifies the unity of the multitude, gathering with Dao Fellows, and purity in unity."

"Above it is the garment, and below it is the skirt; above is heaven, and below is earth. The Dao is to walk between heaven and earth."

"Neither leaning to one side nor the other, only then can it be considered upright."

"My disciple wears this garment and can walk this Dao, and disasters will not arise. All saints will protect them, all evils cannot invade, all wickedness cannot approach, they can extinguish the evil karma of three lifetimes, and they can bring about the transcendence of nine generations of ancestors."

The man beside him was slightly astonished and looked at the elder. He had not expected this ordination to be more solemn than previous ones. Even the yellow ox leisurely eating tender rice shoots was stunned. It turned its head, and the scene it saw immediately caused the normally lying ox to stand up, its mouth agape in speechlessness.

The man turned to get a crown and froze when he turned back, his eyes wide.

The young Daoist stood there quietly. He was supposed to be the one to put on the crown.

But the elder's palm gently caressed the young man's head, smiling:

"Is this what is meant by 'The immortal strokes my crown, and I tie my hair to receive longevity'?"

He waved towards the man nearby, who cautiously retreated. The elder then gently tidied the young man's hair tips and suddenly sighed, "WuHuo is not yet of age to wear a crown."

Qi WuHuo said quietly, "Yes, after the New Year, I will be fifteen."

"Haha, then let's not put on the crown for now."

"Let's put on the Daoist hairpin first."

The old man chuckled and personally tied the young man's hair and inserted a hairpin. Then he took an ordinary wooden hairpin and used it to secure his black hair.

It was just such a simple action.

The girl didn't understand why her father and Uncle Ox were so shocked, their expressions even changing.

It was just an old man tying a young boy's hair.

It was just tying a Daoist hairpin.

Finally, the old man took out a jade slip and said with a gentle smile, "A slip of paper is for speaking of simple matters; its use is to calm the heart and gather the will."

"My disciple, holding this, should have principles to uphold, gaze at the stars and worship the Big Dipper, pray to the saints and greet the true ones, to be the light and glory of Daoist magic, and the model for heaven and man."

"Do you understand?"

"Yes!"

Qi WuHuo wore the water-cloud robe, its cloud sleeves hanging down, his black hair secured by the Daoist hairpin. Then, he solemnly took the jade slip with both hands.

The old man stroked his beard and said calmly:

"Profound and yet more profound, the gate of all wonders, is called the Dao."

"Seen but not seen, it is called the Formless." "Heard but not heard, it is called the Soundless." "Grasped but not held, it is called the Unfathomable."

"These three cannot be inquired into, hence they are blended into one. Above, it is not bright; below, it is not dark. It is continuous, yet cannot be named; it returns to nothingness. This is called the form of formlessness, the image of nothingness."

"Enter my sect."

"Your Daoist name is -- Xuanwei!"

"May your name be inscribed on the jade slip, and your body adorned in the cloud robe!"

"To summon the Myriad Spirits Supervision, and for the Five Emperors to bear witness!"

The last sentence made the man and the yellow ox change color in unison.

Myriad Spirits Supervision, with the Five Emperors as witnesses?!!

With just this glorious statement, it seemed to reach the heavenly court above and the underworld below. The space between heaven and earth seemed to change.

PS: The ritual follows the most orthodox procedure, the "Supreme Rite for Leaving Home and Transmitting the Dao," with the original text found in the Orthodox Daoist Canon, Part Zheng, Section Ke Jie Wei Yi.