《洞真太上八素真经修习功业妙诀》

The Four Perfected Ones of Taiji (Supreme Ultimate) inquired of the Supreme Lord of the Great Dao: “We have heard about receiving the methods of the Dao and transmitting the scriptures. How should one begin the gradual practice of the methods of the Dao?”

The Lord of the Dao replied: “Beginners should revere the scriptures. They should arrange the scripture scrolls and set up a writing desk in a private room. Morning and evening they should light incense and lamps, make offerings, and visualize the deities, performing homage at dawn and dusk to the scriptures and methods they have received. Those of high rank among the Upper Perfected may cultivate according to their own karmic affinities; the specific liturgies (Keyi) differ according to the corresponding scriptures, some of which must be transmitted orally by a teacher depending on the practitioner’s situation. After receiving instruction, failure to perform the required morning and evening homage will lead to repeated offenses of slighting and insulting the scriptures and methods, making it difficult to accomplish the meritorious work of cultivation. If one aspires to become a Perfected being, one must not forget the morning and evening rites. Should circumstances prevent daily practice, one should at least strive during the relatively quiet times of morning and evening; responses and results will naturally arise. I tell you once more with emphasis that these words must be carefully transmitted only to suitable persons.” The Perfected Ones kowtowed and accepted the instruction, pledging to follow it.

In all cultivation of meritorious practice, one must earnestly study the scriptures and Daoist classics, receive and uphold the important precepts, memorize the texts, and inwardly comprehend their meaning. One should act in accordance with what has been learned, without doubt, slackness, or retreat, continually advancing with vigor. One should also teach the people according to worldly conditions and decide whether to act or withdraw according to the opportune moment.

The methods presented in the scriptures of the Three Caverns (the classification of Daoist scriptures into Dongzhen, Dongxuan, and Dongshen) appear alternately according to the times and particular circumstances. One should accord with the times, handle urgent matters, and not force things against karmic affinities. In employing the methods, one must distinguish the important from the trivial and the high from the low, without uniformly suppressing them. Affinities vary in rank, and none should be discarded at will. One must grasp the proper measure, neither blocking paths that ought to be open nor forcibly opening those that are originally closed. If the order of high, low, and middle is inverted or contravened, calamities and trials will ensue; therefore this must be examined carefully. When the times are harmonious, the various practices should proceed in sequence; when the times are not, each should cultivate a portion according to capacity. The depth and extent of practice must not skip ranks; to exceed the sequence requires corresponding affinities. Be sure to cautiously accord with the times, seek to become Perfected with a concentrated mind, and strictly observe the precepts.

In the methods of fasting there are ten precepts. One must not eat animals containing blood, nor foods possessing vital energy (Qi), having a strong odor, or being fishy and rank; only vegetables may be consumed, yet even these are forbidden in the months approaching the sprouting and growth of living beings.

Second, one drinks porridge in the morning and takes a meal at noon. From this time onward, however sweet or rich and succulent the food may be, one no longer enjoys it. Incense is burned by day and lamps are lit by night, so that the incense fire never ceases even for a moment; whether sitting, rising, lying down, or resting, one never departs from the rules of cultivation.

Third, one sets aside worldly affairs and concentrates on cultivating the Dao (the Way). Fourth, one contemplates and awakens to the scriptures, firmly remembers the precepts and admonitions, washes away distracting thoughts, and cultivates with diligence. Fifth, one treats all people with kindness and filial respect, pities those in hardship, and explains to others the way of cultivating life, thereby exhorting the ignorant. Sixth, one repents of faults and seeks forgiveness for sins, praying that one may preserve one’s life.

Seventh, one abandons glory, wealth, and honor, regarding the Dao as the most precious of things. Eighth, one lets the body undergo toil and submits to being driven by the needs of cultivating the Dao. Ninth, one wishes to eliminate all manner of sufferings for the people, to spare them the “ten sufferings and eight difficulties” (the various hardships and calamities spoken of in Daoism), so that they may leave a world of distress and become the populace of an age of Great Peace; and one also seeks pardon for one’s own sins, praying that one may preserve one’s life. The contents of “seventh” through “ninth” in the scripture are then repeated once more.

Tenth, one honors the Dao and treasures De (Virtue/Power), ensuring that what is thought in the heart accords with what is spoken by the mouth; one washes away distracting thoughts, cultivates diligently, and resolves to seek companionship with the immortal perfected; one receives and observes the precepts of the scriptures and dares not violate them. When the day of ascent and deliverance into immortality arrives, one then unites with the Dao.

The Gaoshang Ke states that the ritual master who presides over the purification ritual (Zhaijiao) and the officials who attend the zhai, when reciting scriptures and practicing the Dao, should ascend a high seat and recite one thousand characters of scripture. Only after this has been heard may one take a sip of water; if no scripture recitation has taken place, this regulation does not apply. This regulation is found in the middle chapter of the Siji Mingke.

The Gaoshang Ke stipulates that anyone who has received the methods of stellar orthodox administration, together with the scriptures and methods of the Three Treasures and the Dongzhen mysterious scriptures, and who has performed the rites of appointment and purification, should thereafter receive the Five Precepts of Dharma Difficulty. Without these five precepts one cannot be counted among the Daoist officials who take part together in purification affairs and whose names appear in the registers. Even those already initiated into the True Contract of the Three Ones and methods of the True One or higher must still receive the Five Precepts of Dharma Difficulty; otherwise they cannot be listed in the Upper Palaces or submit the great stellar petitions.

If petitions are presented without prior reception of the precepts, the Immortal Capital will not record the name and the documents will not reach the imperial presence. Because the regulations have not been observed and personal integrity remains impure, the petitions are not forwarded. The stellar officials likewise refuse to accept matters reported by uninitiated teachers of unclean conduct. For this reason codes and precepts of greater and lesser rank have been established, with the explicit requirement that each person comply according to the rules.

Purification methods fall into five kinds. Those of the first kind serve emergency relief and the healing of illness and follow the instructional methods of the Celestial Master (Tianshi). They include entering the days of the Three Primes to confess faults and pray for blessings, praying for continued life, daubing the forehead with mud, binding the body, and the mud-and-charcoal rites, all of which belong to the instructional methods. Those of the second kind are the Lingbao Fanxing purifications, used to gather the worthy, to contemplate instruction, and to cultivate the person while accumulating blessings; they also comprise repentance on behalf of the living and the dead as well as examination of one’s own faults. Those of the third kind are the Shangqing Immortal Concealment purifications, which conduct elevation ceremonies for the ancestral souls of seven generations and also include monthly cultivation together with the performance of good works and accumulation of merit. Those of the fourth kind are the True One Guarding Silence purifications, consisting of visualization of the spirits, ingestion of qi, and guiding-and-pulling exercises. Those of the fifth kind are the Taiyi Divine Elixir purifications, suited to offerings at the furnace fire, methods of refining golden liquor, and a month of secluded practice in a quiet chamber.

Certain other practices lie outside these five, among them reclusive quiet cultivation, nourishing the spirit to prolong life, and pure recitation accompanied by prolonged fasting.

Daoists, libationers, and male and female Daoist officials who have received the True Contract and who hold the Shangqing Three Caverns scriptures and methods along with the stellar administrative methods, if they wish to have their names entered in the Mysterious Capital and their petitions delivered before the throne, must receive the Five Precepts of Dharma Difficulty of the Mysterious Capital. The text of the precepts follows.

The first precept requires that one must revere Heaven and must not claim there are no spirits in Heaven or ghosts and spirits on Earth; one must not treat the earthly spirits, mountains, rivers, and great marshes with contempt or wantonly excavate and bore through them. To regard Heaven and Earth as lacking spiritual nature and thus to feel no fear is a transgression. One must also not incite others to slight Heaven and Earth by asserting that there are no gods or ghosts between Heaven and Earth.

Violation of this precept deducts three hundred days from the heavenly allotment (the lifespan determined by Heaven). Each offense shortens life by seven years, during which all affairs encounter obstacles for seven years. The offender should reflect on the fault, reform and make a fresh start, and accumulate merit to atone. If subsequent conduct shows improvement, one must solemnly vow three times and then petition for restoration of the original rank in cultivating the Dao; lifespan may be extended according to the merit accumulated. The Great Dao will not fail people.

The second precept forbids killing living beings, raiding bird nests, or destroying eggs; nor may one incite others to kill living creatures, plunder nests, or smash eggs.

Violation of this precept deducts one hundred sixty days from the heavenly allotment. Each infraction reduces lifespan by five years, with all matters obstructed for five years. The violator ought to examine the error, repent and reform, and gather merit to compensate; if one can persist in good deeds and show improvement, one must make a solemn vow three times and report to request reinstatement of the original cultivation rank; life can be prolonged based on the accumulated merit. The Great Dao will not fail people.

The third precept prohibits fraud and theft, greedy indulgence in wickedness or scheming after others’ property, and seizing what others wish for or hold dear; nor may one incite others to deceive, steal, covet others’ goods, or take what they love.

Violation of this precept deducts one hundred twenty days from the heavenly allotment. Each offense cuts life by four years, during which everything is hindered. Offenders should introspect, amend their ways, and amass merit to make up for the transgression; if later improvement occurs, they must take a solemn vow three times and petition for restoration of the original rank among those cultivating the Dao; according to the merit gained, lifespan can be continued. The Great Dao will not fail people.

The Fourth Precept: One must not drink alcohol, must not privately have illicit relations with another person’s wife or daughter, must not violate the righteousness of the Dao (the Way) by committing adultery, and must not use the convenience of official business to seek private gain. One also must not incite others to drink alcohol, to lust after women, to violate another person’s wife or daughter, to commit adultery in violation of the Dao’s righteousness, or to use official business to seek private gain.

If this precept is violated, one hundred and twenty years will be deducted from one’s heavenly calculation (the lifespan recorded in the heavenly realm). Each offense reduces one’s lifespan by four years, and one may not take up duties for four years. One should reflect upon the fault, reproach oneself, and establish meritorious deeds to make amends. If later one indeed has special meritorious achievement, one may first prostrate on the ground and make a vow three times, report the matter upward, request restoration of one’s original rank, and then have one’s lifespan replenished according to that merit. The Dao will not fail a person.

The Fifth Precept: One must not utter malicious curses, use flattery to harm others, or harbor jealousy and resentment; one must not violate the righteousness of the Dao, slander or injure good people, and must not burn another person’s house. One also must not incite others to curse and harm people, to harbor jealousy and resentment, to slander and injure the good, to burn another person’s house, or to destroy another person’s household gate, thereby taking revenge for grudges.

If this precept is violated, one hundred and twenty years will be deducted from one’s heavenly calculation. Each offense reduces one’s lifespan by three years, and one may not take up duties for three years. One should reflect upon the fault, reproach oneself, and establish merit to make amends. If later one indeed has special meritorious virtue, one may first prostrate on the ground and make a vow three times, report the matter upward, request restoration of one’s original rank, and then have one’s lifespan replenished according to that merit. The Dao will not fail a person.

Daoist priests and jijiu (libationers, Daoist officials responsible for transmitting Daoist methods and presiding over Zhaijiao (purification rituals) and other affairs), if they do not accept the constraints of the legal precepts, fail to cultivate the Dao with care, and violate various precepts and taboos, then even when they submit memorials (presenting documents to the Heavenly Court), they themselves may not receive a response; when they encounter requests for aid or matters of dispelling disasters and resolving calamities, these often prove ineffective. All this is because their cultivation of the Dao has not followed the proper regulations, leading them to sink into faults such as indulgence in wine and meat, which is truly far too careless.

Since the Three Sages ascended and transformed (attaining the Dao and rising to heaven), the authentic Keyi (liturgy) regulations have been concealed and not transmitted, and they have repeatedly suffered calamities of heaven and earth; the legal codes have been scattered and lost, and the old methods of composing memorials are no longer preserved. Even if a jijiu has not received the legal precepts, various taboos are already recorded in the name registers. Recently, when submitting memorials and making prayers, the statements from beginning to end have been chaotic and inconsistent, and there are many cases in which the Heavenly Bureau (the institution of the Heavenly Court in charge of registers and examinations) takes no notice and gives no response.

Among a hundred occasions there is occasionally one that proves efficacious, all because kind-hearted common people pray with sincere hearts, their intentions pure and profound, thereby moving the Heavenly Emperor; the Heavenly Emperor directly grants them protection and approves the matters they have petitioned. The crucial point lies in their character and allotted destiny; the merit does not belong to the memorials or to the jijiu. Ignorant masters and disciples, however, sometimes take the results obtained through the sincere spiritual resonance of good people and attribute the occasional efficacy to their own merit, using this to intimidate the common people and extract unlimited demands. They do not realize that the guilt of concealing their faults has already been investigated and reported, their names stricken from the register of the living and their lifespan reduced, and they will soon suddenly suffer retribution.

Some people commit minor faults and, seeing that they do not immediately suffer illness or disaster as punishment, assume that heaven and earth are vast and will not pursue small transgressions. Others have performed a little good, thereby delaying punishment; yet as faults accumulate ever more, the Heavenly Court does not immediately send down minor chastisements, which does not indicate that the guilt is light. Their offenses are already very grave and belong to the category of expulsion and striking from the registers; after their final extinction they will still suffer the torments of the mountain of knives and forest of swords, which is why the Heavenly Court does not frequently impose minor punishments.

Ignorant people do not understand the principle herein. Seeing that they themselves do not immediately encounter disaster, they think that heaven and earth are indulging them; they further say that Heaven is vast and remote, not even examining small faults in detail, and therefore they will not be punished. They thereby become even more foolish, continuing to err throughout the day, even believing that heaven and earth have no deities and that the precepts and admonitions are nothing but empty words. They do not know that they have already been placed on the list for expulsion and striking from the registers, and that disaster will suddenly descend at an unexpected moment.

The Dao of Heaven is luminous and manifest; how could it be deceived? Ignorant people do not understand the gravity of cultivating the Dao. When I think of this I feel deep pain. I hope everyone will carefully practice goodness and not be greedy or defiled, for the guilt is by no means light.

The Gaoshangke states that Daoist priests, libationers (an office in Daoism), and male and female devotees who have received the supreme methods of the Dao (the Way) and the superior precious Jing (scriptures), and who have already obtained the method of the stellar lodges’ orthodox governance, ranking above Zhenyi (a stage of authentic cultivation in Daoism), and who have received the true methods in accordance with the regulations with their hearts set on the orthodox Dao, must also receive and uphold the Five Difficult Precepts and the Great Precepts of Causation; if they fail to observe them, the culpability is by no means light.

The Gaoshangke further states that Daoist priests, libationers, and male and female devotees who have received the supreme methods of the Dao and the superior precious Jing, obtained the method of the stellar lodges’ orthodox governance, ranking above Zhenyi, and who have received the true methods according to the regulations with hearts directed toward the orthodox Dao, must also receive and uphold the Five Difficult Precepts and the Great Precepts of Causation. Those who have already received the supreme methods of the Dao yet do not uphold these five precepts will, according to the scriptures, not have their names entered in the cinnabar slips of the Immortal Capital (the roster of the immortal realm), nor will they be registered in the ink registers and jade calendars (the immortal registers of Daoism); their names remain on the white registers administered by the Three Officials (of Heaven, Earth, and Water), and they will not be removed from the ghost registers. After death they will still fall among the lower ghosts, their souls unable to become immortals, continually subjected to investigation and punishment, with calamity also extending to their descendants.

As for the daomin (ordinary Daoist believers), there are separate provisions for examining their sincerity and the smoothness or adversity of their fate; these are not recorded in the present article, and the relevant content appears after the upper chapter of the Molu.

The Gaoshang Ke (the regulations for cultivating the Dao established by Heaven) states that those who study the Dao (the Way) should devote themselves with focused diligence, accumulating merits and making amends for faults in order to redeem the sins of their deceased ancestors of seven generations. They should also seek immortal ranks for their family and themselves so as to escape the ten sufferings and eight difficulties. They ought to receive the Five Precepts of Fa Nan (the precepts that cultivators of the Dao must observe), accumulate meritorious deeds and perform good actions, seek high positions on the immortal registers, enter the Jade Calendar of the Immortal Capital, and have their names removed from the white ledgers and death registers of the Three Officials (the deities governing Heaven, Earth, and Water).

You who cultivate the Dao have already received the tallies of the inner and outer true methods, yet for many years you have acted contrary to the natural Dao and have failed to observe the Five Precepts of Fa Nan. You yourselves have committed faults such as drinking alcohol, eating meat, greed and desire, and defilement; your cultivation lacks proper discipline, and thus you have incurred sins that diminish your lifespan. After death you will become inferior ghosts, inevitably suffering the torments of knife mountains and sword trees with intense agony in the heart. Contemplating this is truly heartbreaking. Since you are cultivating the Dao, you should understand and abide by the legal precepts, practicing them for three years without slackening. In this way you can prolong your years and increase the lifespan allotted by Heaven.

The Heavenly Offices (Tiancao, the celestial bureaucracy) examine the records of merits and demerits three times each year, adding to lifespan and age according to accomplishments. The Director of Destinies (Siming, the official in charge of lifespan) reports these results to Heaven, distinguishing good from evil. Those whose merits qualify are recorded on the left tally; those who commit evil and fail to qualify are recorded on the right tally. All such matters are recorded with perfect clarity. The Dao never fails people; it is simply that few truly believe in the authentic Dao while many commit crimes and violate the precepts, and thus they incur punishments. All of you must proceed with caution and be careful in performing good deeds.

All Daoist priests (daoshi), libationers (jijiu, a Daoist office), and male and female officials who receive the true methods, seek the path of becoming immortals and transcending the world while extending their lives, and who observe the precepts, accumulate merits to atone for faults, heal the people, and submit memorials, should cultivate themselves, observe fasting and maintain rectitude, follow the legal precepts without violating the regulations. Their actions will then correspond to their aspirations, and they will gradually ascend and achieve transcendence according to their merits. The blessings, fortune, and lifespan they obtain will be beyond measure.

The Gaoshang Ke states that all those who come from this Dao and take on these responsibilities should cultivate themselves, observe fasting and maintain rectitude, follow the legal precepts without violating the regulations, so that their actions correspond to their wishes. They will then gradually be promoted and achieve worldly transcendence according to their merits. The fortune, emoluments, and lifespan they receive will be inestimable.

The superior precepts state that some people are born into distinguished families. Although they have not received this precept text, their actions already conform to the natural Dao (the Way), and thus they need not further accept the Keyi precepts (Daoist precepts and cultivation regulations). From antiquity to the present there have been many such individuals; yet in the world of today, scarcely one in a hundred can be found, so they cannot serve as the standard for ordinary people. When measuring whether a person's De (Virtue/Power) accords with the Keyi precepts, unless he is a person of unwavering resolve who remains detached from worldly affairs, he must still complete the work of cultivating the Dao through the Keyi precepts. For this reason the institution of precepts must be proclaimed to all.

The superior precepts state that all who wish to study the Dao and seek the true, to accumulate merit and establish De in the world, to have their names entered in the heavens and to rise into the ranks of immortal officials, should receive and uphold the Five Precepts of Fanan (the precepts spoken of here). After practicing according to the precepts for three years, once meritorious deeds are established and the true name is confirmed, the name register is then submitted to Xiandu (the immortal capital where the gods and immortals dwell), recorded in the Danjian (the ledgers that record the names of the perfected) and the Yuli (the heavenly registers), thereby formally establishing the name on the immortal rolls. Thereafter Siming (the deity who oversees human lifespan and destiny registers) issues orders to the Five Sacred Mountains and informs the Three Officials (Sanguan, the deities governing Heaven, Earth, and Water), registering the person as a Zhenren (Perfected One), striking out the death register and white ledger under the Three Officials, and removing the ghost name. Only then may one formally become a cultivating Daoshi (Daoist priest) or Jijiu (libationer, a Daoist clerical officer).

In this manner the true name is diligently recorded in Xiandu, and no memorial that is submitted fails to reach the hearing of Heaven. If one neither receives the precepts nor cultivates with diligence and perseverance, Xiandu will contain no record of merit; the memorials and petitions that are offered can only be set aside. This is why the cultivation of the Dao yields no reputation, why one fruitlessly consumes the paper, brushes, incense, and oil presented by the people, and why one must further endure the examinations brought on by secretly consuming wine and meat: the hun-spirit is constantly summoned for interrogation, and nothing proceeds favorably.

Some people violate the precepts yet are not immediately punished. It may be that at the outset their name register has not yet been entered by the Three Officials onto the death registers, so that for a time everything appears to go smoothly and calamity has not yet arrived; or it may be that because of enemies from previous lives the examining officials deliberately confuse their minds and in the end impose a heavy judgment on all the offenses together. Consequently they escape lighter penalties, yet because their karmic sins have recently accumulated to fullness they are ultimately expelled and die prematurely. Is this not deeply regrettable? It is truly a matter for deep regret!

Beginning students of the Dao—Daoshi, Jijiu, and male and female clerical personnel—if you wish to cultivate nature and life, to practice with austerity in pursuit of the true Dao, and also to subdue ghosts and demons, heal the sick, establish results, and win the respect of the people, you should receive and uphold the Five Precepts of Fanan. Once the precepts are received, Xiandu immediately records the name; after three years of diligent practice without violating any precept, Siming presents the name register to the Heavenly Emperor and records it in the Yuli. One may then receive an honorary title of Zhenren (a Zhenren designation that does not correspond to a specific official post) and will be able to expel ghosts and treat illness with clear efficacy. How can one fail to cultivate benefits such as these?

Daoist priests, libationers (a ritual office in Daoism), and male and female officials who wish to cultivate the methods of subduing ghosts and treating illnesses should first receive the Taishang Zhongtai Chengsheng Five Precepts (Daoist precepts). After receiving the precepts, they obtain an official rank in the Immortal Capital (the Daoist name register of the immortal realm), with their names recorded on the cinnabar slips. After three years of diligent practice, their names will be engraved in the Jade Calendar (the heavenly name register). The official bureaus belonging to the Heavenly Emperor will examine your diligence and record your accumulated merit and progressive cultivation in the registers of the mountains and rivers, the Five Sacred Peaks, the Four Great Rivers, and the Three Officials (Heaven, Earth, and Water). The heavenly gods and earthly spirits of the Mysterious Capital will all respect you, and the hundred ghosts will be subdued by you; your treatments of illness and submitted petitions will also reach the heavenly court.

Since you have received the important inner and outer ritual services and the marvelous True Unity method, you cannot but be bound by the regulations. If you do not carefully observe the Five Precepts, you will have no rank in the Immortal Capital and no name in the Jade Calendar; you will also incur guilt for harboring defilement as a libationer. The ghosts and spirits of the Five Sacred Peaks, Four Great Rivers, and Three Officials will not revere you, and the petitions you present will be set aside, unable to be delivered to the heavenly court. If you constantly love to run about in the streets and alleys, greedy and filthy, damaging the reputation of the methods, and after making mistakes do not know to repent, violating the liturgical precepts and taboos, the Director of Destinies (the deity in charge of human lifespan and destiny registers) will investigate and report each matter, reducing your lifespan.

Since you have already become teachers of others, even the smallest violation of the precepts cannot be treated as something that need not be investigated; if you have already repented, it will still be dealt with more severely together. Nowadays some people are foolish, thinking that although they have committed faults they currently have no illness, they say that Heaven and Earth do not know their sins, and that there are no deities in the world. They do not know that the underworld examinations have long been reported, and their lifespan has already been reduced. If they have merely formed small grudges with others, these are temporarily not reported item by item, but the sins are accumulated to fullness and then dealt with together according to the expulsion procedure. For such people, the name register after death has already been determined; they will no longer undergo item-by-item minor examinations but will suddenly receive a major punishment, dying prematurely in this world without enjoying their full allotted years; the charges pile up layer upon layer, and they must suffer the torments of the knife mountain and fire prison, after death falling to become lower ghosts and enduring long-lasting suffering. How can such consequences not inspire vigilance?

Since you have received the true methods, wishing to establish merit in the world by treating illnesses, wishing to cultivate the Three Primes (the primordial Qi related to the three aspects of Heaven, Earth, and humanity), nourish Shen (spirit) and extend life, you should seek an enlightened teacher and follow the precepts. Do not greedily cling to wine and meat, immersing yourselves in them, and chase after one another doing improper things; whether the fault is large or small, all will be investigated and reported. Only by observing fasting and precepts and maintaining stillness morning and evening, accumulating merit, and making up for faults, can you look up to the mysterious grace, so that lifespan may be extended and examinations postponed. By thus following the precepts, you can extend your life, restore the proper lifespan, and begin anew; merits and demerits offset each other, and even the finest details will not be omitted. Each of you must understand and cultivate with caution, so as to preserve yourselves and last long without decay.

The Gaoshang Ke (a Daoist disciplinary code) states that Daoist priests, jijiu (a clerical title in Daoism), and male and female officials who wish to cultivate the Taiqing Divine Elixir (a wondrous elixir method spoken of in Daoism) and practice the arts of the Three Origins’ male and female (a cultivation method related to the Yin-Yang union of the “Three Origins”), secluding themselves among mountains, forests, lakes, and marshes while concentrating their thoughts on becoming immortals and cultivating their aspirations, should first receive and uphold the Five Precepts of Completing Life.

Thereafter they must still undergo the Seven Trials and Nine Refinements, restraining their temperament and enduring weakness and hardship. Even if insulted by others, they neither resent it nor regard it as shameful. They give rise to no wandering miscellaneous thoughts or evil thoughts, but settle the Shen (spirit) and concentrate with undivided attention. They endure hunger, cold, and humiliation without anger or retreat from their resolve. They diligently accumulate merit, widely perform good deeds, relieve those in hardship and urgent peril, and deliver those on the brink of death so that they may obtain a beginning of rebirth. With simple diet they abide in austerity, widely accumulating hidden De (Virtue/Power). Even if Heaven has not yet rewarded their meritorious De, they dare not harbor extravagant hopes. Even if their meritorious achievements and righteous deeds resonate far and deep, and they themselves have long toiled in hardship and fallen into destitution, they distinguish neither near nor far and do not pity themselves with sighs. Even if they widely bestow kindness only to suffer humiliation through distortion in return, they do not regard this as harm. These are all of the highest wisdom and De.

Such virtues number five in all. If one is not deeply concentrated, firmly resolved, and sincerely devoted to cultivating the Dao (the Way), they cannot be accomplished. Therefore they are called the “Five De,” and their requirements are extremely great.

Having studied the Dao for many years and experienced all manner of setbacks and humiliations, even if groundlessly subjected to slander and ill-treatment, one still harbors humility and reverence, patiently restrains oneself, and maintains benevolence: this is the first kind of wisdom.

Persistently practicing widely, emphasizing both inner cultivation and outer practice, regulating and nourishing the Three Origins so that the Five Shen (a concept of spirits associated with the spiritual activities of the human body) suffer no injury; cultivating over a long period without decline, with appearance remaining unhaggard: this demonstrates perseverance and is the second kind of wisdom.

Esteeming the cultivation of the Dao without losing resolve, traveling throughout the eight directions; whether in circumstances of purity and sinking, turbidity and floating, or other differing situations, one diligently performs good deeds and accumulates merit in the world, seeking neither recorded names nor reputation, continuously accumulating De, and not regarding these as toil: this is the third kind of wisdom.

Condensing medicinal Qi and cultivating De (Virtue/Power), one continues practice for nine years; those of medium capacity cultivate for twenty-four years, and those of superior capacity for thirty-two years. Having passed through hardships, remaining diligent and unremitting, yet repeatedly encountering setbacks, one still pities others, does not calculate gains and losses, and remains quietly self-contained. Even if there is never any meritorious deed to record, one nevertheless worries about the work of the Dao (the Way) and earnestly encourages oneself; this is counted as the fourth kind of wisdom.

In cultivating the Dao one is neither burdened by worldly fame and achievement, and one follows the teachings of the master, practicing diligently within the master’s school. Even if calamity is encountered midway, the materials of cultivation are lost, and the true Dao is damaged, after experiencing numerous trials and all manner of endurance one still maintains a pleasant demeanor and does not display resentment in speech; this is counted as the fifth kind of wisdom.

Here “medicinal Qi” refers to the Qi (vital energy) condensed and nurtured in cultivation, and “master’s school” refers to life in the lineage of transmission from the master and the practice of Dao methods.

The Gaoshang Ke says: Ordinary people learning the Dao (the Way) must first guard their original mind, remaining focused and unwavering, and practice goodness with honesty and sincerity. Even if they never receive any insight and undergo all kinds of trials and setbacks, as long as they harbor no resentment or retreat in their hearts, they should observe the Five Precepts so that their actions accord with the Five Wisdoms. They neither violate the precepts nor go against the teachings of the Jing (scripture/classic); they are quiet and peaceful in character and act in accordance with Wuwei (non-action). Even if they remain in the mundane world for a long time, suffering grievances and humiliations, they do not take them into account; when they encounter danger and adversity, they kowtow and pray for pardon. Though repeatedly afflicted by hardships, they do not resent them thereby, but instead become even more generous in helping others, encouraging themselves in this way, and distributing their wealth to others.

Those cultivating the Dao should constantly worry about losing the merits they have previously accumulated, and also worry that karmic connections from past lives are heavy and may bring misfortune. Possessing such lofty De (Virtue/Power) and vast achievements, they yet do not regard their efforts as toil; cultivating purity amid hardship, they become even more resolute and cautious, fearing only to fall into the abyss. This persistence must never be relaxed at any time. Such wisdom is indeed profound and vast.

Only when De reaches this point can one establish the enterprise of the Dao. Cultivating in this manner for five years, if one can remain peaceful, tranquil, and free of desires, one may then seclude oneself in the mountain forests and entrust one's life to the rocky caves and wilderness. You who seek the Dao and cultivate life, hoping to extend your years and prolong longevity, should first dwell in a quiet chamber, harmonize the mind and Shen (spirit), nourish the will, and practice daoyin to refine the Three Origins (important primordial Qi or body-mind elements in Daoist cultivation), diligently cultivating over a long period with unwavering focus in hopes of connecting with the numinous and the perfected (spirits and realized beings). Even if one suffers calamity oneself, one does not seek to plead one's case; encountering grievances and misfortunes, one remains joyful and at peace, not regarding them as bad.

By observing these Five Precepts, one can achieve the Five Wisdoms; one's practice of the Dao is pure, upright, and undefiled, and one's merits reach a lofty realm. Do not hope for rewards; instead, be even more vigorous and diligent, always taking as one's goal those states one has not yet attained. Once merits have accumulated, what cannot be obtained, what wish cannot be fulfilled, what prayer cannot receive a response, what aspiration cannot be accomplished?

The Gaoshang Ke further says: Immortals are divided into nine ranks, the arts of cultivating the Dao comprise thirty-six gates, and in addition there are one hundred twenty kinds of prohibitive methods; these are all important fundamentals for extending years and prolonging life.

The Gaoshang Ke (the cultivation regulations established by the High Perfected) states that immortals are divided into nine ranks, that methods of cultivating the Dao (the Way) comprise thirty-six gates, and that there are one hundred twenty kinds of prohibitions; all of these form the essential foundations for extending one’s years and attaining longevity. Never has anyone who resolved to cultivate the Dao in accordance with the regulations and practiced with assiduous effort still obtained nothing. The difficulty is that some people are not diligent in their cultivation and study, their single-minded resolve to seek the Dao is not steadfast, they cannot persevere, and they lack companions of like mind. How then could they accomplish the Dao?

Some people, having merely heard that one gives alms in the morning and looks for recompense by evening, hold the orthodox teachings in light esteem and declare that cultivating the Dao yields no spiritual efficacy. They tend to be stingy and covetous, their conduct improper, and they indulge in wine, meat, and banquets, unwilling to concentrate and practice the Mysterious Origin (Xuan Yuan, the Dao) with painstaking effort. Their actions are chaotic and mistaken, their offenses recorded in the Heavenly Bureau (the celestial office that oversees records); their hun-spirit is obstructed, confined, and bound, undergoing interrogation and punishment in the underworld, not yet having received a verdict and release. Therefore one should reflect deeply, correct one’s faults and renew oneself, be diligent in charity and good deeds, and concentrate on cultivation in order to obtain the genuine results of illumination. Those with wisdom, upon hearing these principles, put them into practice and respectfully and carefully observe the Five Precepts (Daoist disciplinary rules). Is this not excellent?

The method of the Lesser Zhai (purification ritual) is that the host provides for one worthy and virtuous person, with an additional one hundred cash per person each day, together with rice, vegetables, tea, fruits, honey, ginger, and similar items. The Medium Zhai requires the preparation of one thousand portions of offerings, plus two hundred cash per person per day, along with rice, vegetables, incense, flowers, lamps and candles, tea, fruits, honey, ginger, and the like. These two zhai methods are calculated according to the number of zhai officials invited; each additional person requires a corresponding increase in provisions. There is also a zhai established to pray for those who are distressed or ill, for which the meals are prepared according to the Lesser Zhai method. For the Lingbao Longevity Zhai (the zhai ritual of the Lingbao school used to pray for extending years and increasing lifespan), the required one thousand portions of offerings are supplied by the host according to circumstances; however, one must not take life, nor violate the regulations of the zhai precepts. The offerings required for the Shangqing Zhai (the zhai ritual of the Shangqing school) increase correspondingly with the number of zhai officials. There is also a zhai established to pray for those who are distressed or ill, for which the meals are prepared according to the Lesser Zhai method. For the Lingbao Longevity Zhai the required one thousand portions of offerings are supplied by the host according to circumstances; however, one must not take life, nor violate the regulations of the zhai precepts.

The Shangqing scripture-recitation long zhai in quiet mountain forests is a method of prolonged fasting and turning (reciting and studying) the scriptures (jing) in secluded mountain woodlands. Practitioners take rice, vegetables, and other vegetarian foods as their regular diet, without calculating supplies according to sums of cash. The above five zhai methods are carried out in accordance with their respective ranks and regulations. The Taiyi (name of a Daoist deity) great zhai method of secluding oneself in a chamber to compound elixir medicines for one hundred days is not reckoned according to the cash limits mentioned above. In antiquity, when establishing an oath and making a vow, gold, silk, and similar items served as tokens of sincerity; nowadays forty feet of cinnabar-and-azure cloth (red and blue fabrics) and a pair of gold rings are used in their place.