Lingbao School

The Lingbao School (Chinese灵 宝 派, Pinyin Lingbao Pai, School of eternal jewel or school of the divine treasure ') is a school of Taoism, which originated from the 4th century. The school refers to the Lingbao Jing, a group of about 40 texts. The texts of the Lingbao were regarded as revelations of heaven, which were only accessible to the saints.

Lu Xiujing ( 406-477 ), originally the celestial master school belonging, systematized the Lingbao scriptures and gave them a new form as a corpus. He propagated the view that the Lingbao scriptures are the most venerable writings of Taoism.

In the Lingbao School the rituals of the sky masters were renewed in complex shapes and the recitation of texts as liturgy was an important position, while meditating adept virtually disappeared. The Lingbao School was particularly important in medieval Daoism and Daoist rituals and their liturgies were handed down to the present time and characterize almost all Taoist rites.

The Lingbao School teachings go back to the Fangshi and are strongly influenced by Mahayana Buddhism. From this a universal goal of salvation was taken and teachings of karma, reincarnation and kalpas. Nevertheless, one finds in Lingbao only a superficial knowledge of Buddhism. Likewise relate the teachings of the Lingbao school to Ge Xuan and whose grandson, the famous alchemist Ge Hong. Other influences are those of the Shangqing - Daoism and the sky Master Daoism. In addition, in Lingbao, the Confucian virtues were respected.

Teaching

The oldest teachings of the Lingbao school on the Five Phases and the five rulers of the five points of the compass. Later teachings are Buddhist influences, such as the doctrine of kalpas, which are considered in Lingbao as particularly significant. In the past kalpas Lingbao texts are described in detail, and it is eschatological reported the violent end of a world age, after which the Lingbao scriptures will be revealed, and all other religious teachings disappear.

The Lingbao School saw their texts as talismans. The texts were regarded as sacred divine revelations, which explains its talismanic character. The Lingbao scriptures act, inter alia, of a complex cosmology, which goes back to earlier Daoist and Buddhist scriptures. Equal certain Buddhist scriptures from the Mount Meru and act the spheres surrounding it, speak the Lingbao scriptures of 32 heavens that surround the Jadehauptstadt Mountain ( Yujingshan ). The 32 heavens are divided into three areas of desire, form and formlessness and. , In groups of 8 heavens, which correspond to the points of the compass This sky ruled by heavenly rulers and live in them originating from former ages Heavenly perfection ( Zhutian Zhenren ).

The Pantheon of the Lingbao school provides, as in other Daoist schools also, a heavenly bureaucracy dar.

One of the most important deities of the heavens Very decent of the primeval ( Yuanshi Tianzun ). It symbolizes the original beginning of the cosmos, that is, he himself comes from the cosmic void and is the creator. He is the origin of all the holy Lingbao scriptures associated with this God.

Another important deity of the Lingbao School is the Taishang Daojun, the God of the Dao. He is regarded as a student, speaker and ambassador of heaven Very worthy of uranium catch. He is also connected to the revelation of sacred texts.

Deities that exist in the body that correspond to the gods of the sky and the master Shangqing school.

The practices of Lingbao school existed side by the rituals of prayers, exorcisms, commands, and recitation of the texts.