The Heavenly Lord of Supreme Oneness and Salvation from Misery

Origin of the Heavenly Lord of Supreme Oneness and Salvation from Misery
The Heavenly Lord of Supreme Oneness and Salvation from Misery ( 太乙救苦天尊 Taiyi Jiuku Tianzun ) is also called 'Heavenly Lord of Salvation from Misery in Response to Cries for Help' ( 尋聲救苦天尊 Xunsheng Jiuku Tianzun ), and 'Heavenly Lord of Salvation from Misery in the Ten Directions" ( 十方救苦天尊 Shifang Jiuku Tianzun ). According to the Book of Protection and Salvation from Misery by the Supreme Oneness ( 太一護身救苦經 Taiyi Hushen Jiuku Jing ), the Heavenly Lord of Supreme Oneness and Salvation from Misery is the Great Benevolent One of the Heavenly Court's Eastern World of Eternal Happiness ( 東方長樂世界 Dongfang Changle Shijie ). He appears everywhere, in the Heavenly Palace ( 天宮 Tiangong ), in the human world, and in hell, among devils as the powerful governor. The Heavenly Lord of Supreme Oneness and Salvation from Misery can transform in response to the kinds of subjects to be saved, into immortal lads and jade maidens, imperial sovereigns and saints, heavenly lords and perfected ones, diamond warriors and divine kings, devil kings and powerful guardians, celestial masters and Daoists, imperial men and venerable sovereigns, heavenly heelers and officials, men and women, civil and military officials, teachers of law and of meditation, masters of wind and of rain. He is all-powerful. "This sage is called the Supreme Oneness Spirit of Luck ( 太一福神 Taiyi Fushen ) in Heaven, the Great Benevolent One ( 大慈仁者 Daci Renzhe ) in the world, the Imperial Sovereign of Sunshine ( 日耀帝君 Riyao Dijun ) in hell, the Brilliant Lion King ( 獅子明王 Shizi Mingwang ) among heretics, and the Imperial Sovereign of the Pervasive Abyss ( 洞淵帝君 Dongyuan Dijun ) in the water realm."

=Functions and Temple Worship: == According to the Supreme Appeal of the Three Grottoes ( 太上三洞表文 Taishang Sandong Biaowen ), there are nine Heavenly Lords: the Heavenly Lord of Supreme Oneness and Salvation from Misery, the Heavenly Lord of Salvation from Misery in the Ten Directions, the Heavenly Lord Who Saves Sinners from the Ninth Hell ( 九幽度罪天尊 Jiuyou Duzui Tianzun ), the Heavenly Lord of Salvation from the Zhuling Star ( 朱陵度命天尊 Zhuling Duming Tianzun ), the Heavenly Lord of Elixirs Refined by Fire ( 火煉丹界天尊 Huolian Danjie Tianzun ), the Heavenly Lord of the Great Bridge of Salvation ( 法橋大度天尊 Faqiao Dadu Tianzun ), the Heavenly Lord of the Golden Palace Avatar ( 金闕化身天尊 Jinque Huashen Tianzun ), the Heavenly Lord of Unfettered Bliss ( 逍遙快樂天尊 Xiaoyao Kuaile Tianzun ), and the Heavenly Lord of Precious Glorious Perfection ( 寶華圓滿天尊 Baohua Yuanman Tianzun ). The Heavenly Lord of Supreme Oneness and Salvation from Misery is the first and chief among them. His role is "to save sentient beings with highest holiness and benevolence, extreme kindness and love, by riding the immortal cart of nine masters and shining forth the auspicious lights of the hundred treasures." According to legends, a man in distress need only recite the name of the Heavenly Lord of Supreme Oneness and Salvation from Misery, and he will get help and relief in response to his cry for help. As for those who have accumulated merits perfectly, the Heavenly Lord of Supreme Oneness and Salvation from Misery will descend on his immortal cart of nine masters and, shining forth the auspicious lights of the hundred treasures, lead them to ascend to Immortality.

Daoist temples generally have a Hall of Supreme Oneness ( 太乙殿 Taiyi Dian ) where a sculpture or image of the Heavenly Lord of Supreme Oneness is worshipped. He always appears as a Heavenly Lord riding on a lion. Only on the Festivals of the Three Origins, or during Yellow Register Rituals of Salvation, is the Heavenly Lord of Supreme Oneness and Salvation from Misery worshipped. Since the Song and Yuan dynasties, many Daoist rituals take the Heavenly Lord of Supreme Oneness and Salvation from Misery as the major divinity, such as the Precious Repentance for Salvation from the Blood Lake Hell Told by the Heavenly Lord of Supreme Oneness and Salvation from Misery ( 《太乙救苦天尊說撥度血湖寶懺》 Taiyi Jiuku Tianzun Shuo Badu Xiehu Baochan ), Refinement and Salvation of the Numinous Treasure ( 《靈寶煉度》 Lingbao Liandu ), and the Lantern Ritual for Salvation from the Ninth Hell ( 《九幽燈儀》 Jiuyou Dengyi ). In such rituals, besides guiding the sentient beings, the Heavenly Lord of Supreme Oneness and Salvation from Misery is also in charge of Refining the souls of the dead with water and fire, purifying the Blood Lake Hell, saving the souls of sinners from hell, and so on. 太乙救苦天尊