《云笈七签》Vol. 15

Incense is used to commune with the divine perfected beings in Heaven and to convey one’s sincerity to the spirits on Earth. Therefore, incense should be burned during fasting, prayer, and silent meditation while visualizing the spirits. The attendant golden boys who tend the incense will invite the perfected beings on behalf of the practitioner and convey the practitioner’s intentions.

A Perfected One can use the sun’s radiance to illuminate all directions and summon the moon’s essence to light hidden places. Thus, one lights the Nine Radiances Lamp, letting its glow shine in all eight directions and dispel the long, deep night.

The Four Extremes Clear Rites says: at the Beginning of Spring and the Spring Equinox, light nine lamps in the courtyard; at the Beginning of Summer and the Summer Solstice, light eight; at the Beginning of Autumn and the Autumn Equinox, light six; and at the Beginning of Winter and the Winter Solstice, light five. On one’s birth-year day, light twelve lamps to state one’s wishes, seek forgiveness for one’s transgressions, and pray for blessings. The number of lamps used in the courtyard for each kind of purification rite follows the requirements of that rite.

When the ritual is complete, face the direction associated with the season. Only on one’s birth-year day should one face Tai Sui, the spirit who governs the passage of the years. Click the teeth together twenty-four times, then recite the incantation:

“Most High, Great Perfected, Sovereign Emperor of the Myriad Sages, Jade Scribes of the Five Emperors, Overseer of Immortals and Inspector of the Perfected: on this auspicious day, at the opening of the Eight Seasonal Nodes, may yang transgressions and yin punishments be extinguished, and the Nine Yin be annihilated. From this day onward, may the Seven Ancestors be released and delivered. May I be freed from the realm of fire and forever escape the mountain of blades. May the Three Paths and Five Sufferings not afflict my person. May I become one with Heaven and Earth and long preserve the celestial dawn. May the Five Wishes and Eight Assemblies be fulfilled, all as spoken.”

After reciting the incantation, remove the headcloth and bow one hundred and twenty times, touching the forehead to the ground without striking it painfully. When finished, put the headcloth back on and look up at the sky, silently saying: “Today I receive Heaven’s grace: my form is restored, I am born anew, and I become a flying immortal.” Then tilt the head back and swallow twenty-four breaths. The ritual is complete.

Practice in this way for three years, and past calamities and karmic obstacles will be dispelled; the body, too, will become aligned with the Perfected Ones.

A review of the methods of fasting described in the various scriptures reveals three main kinds.

The first is offering fasting: arranging offerings for worship. This can accumulate merit and remove faults. The second is dietary fasting: regulating one’s food intake to harmonize the spirit and prolong life. Both are forms of ritual fasting, practiced by people of middling capacity.

The third is fasting of the mind: clearing away thoughts and removing attachments and desires; purifying the spirit and casting off defilement and entanglements; restraining clever schemes and calculations, and putting an end to scattered thinking. Without deliberation, one can focus entirely on the Dao; without greed and desire, one can nourish the spirit; without defilement and entanglements, one can unite with the Dao. When no other thoughts remain in the heart and one’s intent is undivided, this is true fasting of the mind, practiced by people of superior capacity. This subject has already been discussed in detail.

“Fasting” carries the meaning of ordering and regulating. The essential point is to set right the three forms of conduct—body, speech, and mind. Only then can it be called fasting. If one merely restricts food without regulating the mind and attaining single-mindedness, one has only stopped craving fine flavors. Inner cultivation of the mind and outward restraint in eating should go together. Thus the Great Precepts Scripture says: “Make the mind calm and peaceful, keep silent, and focus your intent; after midday, eat no more; within and without, remain pure and free of distraction.” This is what it means.

You have some understanding of dietary fasting, but you do not yet know how to regulate the mind. So I explain the methods of fasting here to guide you toward the Dao. Yet among later students, who can truly empty the mind and make the intent single? Those who dismiss ritual teachings and imagine they already understand the fasting of the mind are in truth lax and arrogant. Even if they speak of stillness, without understanding its basis, they are merely boasting. The Book of Changes says, “The sage therefore fasts and purifies himself.”

Fasting Rites

The Daoist Wang Zuan was from Jintan and lived on Mount Maji. He often performed good deeds in secret and aided living beings, extending his benevolence even to the smallest creatures.

The Daoist Wang Zuan was from Jintan and lived on Mount Maji. He often did good deeds in secret, helping and saving living beings, and cherished even the smallest creatures. In the final years of the Jin dynasty, war ravaged the Central Plains. Famine followed famine, epidemics spread, and poisonous miasmas swept through the region, causing many people to die. The villages lay desolate, with corpses scattered everywhere.

In a quiet chamber, Wang Zuan burned memorials and sent them up in prayer, appealing to the mysterious realm of the Daoist spirits of the underworld. For three nights in a row, he prayed and wept. On the third night, the chamber shone as brightly as day. Auspicious winds and colorful clouds gathered in the sky. Then a strange fragrance and celestial music descended into the courtyard, where more than thirty armored soldiers bearing weapons stood in formation.

Soon, a procession of attendants appeared, one group after another. Some carried pearl-adorned banners, ornate canopies, and colorful flags, walking in pairs. At the end came four blue-clad youths holding flowers and incense, followed by maidservants carrying an offering table. Brocade mats were spread on the ground, and a tall screen was set up in front. The Dragon and Tiger Generals, guardian deities, stood in ranks on either side with many other officers, generals, and soldiers, about two thousand in all, as if keeping close guard. Twenty-six great generals in golden armor and ten divine kings also stood in ordered ranks, their bearing solemn and dignified.

A short while later, the sound of reed pipes and flutes filled the sky. A procession approached from the northwest, accompanied by strange rays of five colors. A man wearing a sword and holding a tablet stepped forward to announce, “The Great High Lord of the Dao has arrived.” Then an ornate throne descended from the sky. The Great High Lord of the Dao sat upon a five-colored lotus, with two Perfected Ones and two Celestial Emperors standing beside him.

Wang Zuan paid his respects to the Lord, kneeling and bowing low. The Lord said to him, “You are concerned for the people. You set down your wish in a ritual memorial addressed to the gods, and your sincerity was so earnest that you were overcome with grief. This moved the spirits of the underworld, and the Director of the Earth Bureau has already recorded your name. Heaven and Earth bring forth and transform the myriad things by means of the Five Phases (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water). The Five Phases restrain one another, each has its rise and decline, and they replace one another without pause. Thus life does not cease, and Qi follows Qi…”

This process has continued without interruption since ancient times. Those who receive the breath of life join with pure Yang Qi and ascend to Heaven as immortals; those who turn toward death sink into the deepest Yin and remain on earth as ghosts. Among ghosts, too, there are distinctions of rank and strength, firmness and gentleness, good and evil—no different from the human world.

The Celestial Worthy, the Jade Emperor, feared that ghosts and spirits might run rampant and harm the people. He therefore often commanded the Five Emperors and the Three Officials—the deities who govern the affairs of Heaven, Earth, and Water in Daoism—to establish and enforce laws and punishments restraining ghosts and spirits. These regulations were comprehensive. But in the latter age, as more and more people became shallow and deceitful, the foundations of simplicity and sincerity gradually fell away, and acts of demonic evil and fraud began to flourish. People were disloyal to their rulers and unfilial toward their families; they abandoned the Three Bonds and Five Constants, the traditional ethical principles, and thereby brought themselves to ruin.

Then demons formed from the Six Heavens’ old, corrupt Qi—the evil stale energy described in Daoism—joined with defeated armies and dead generals from past dynasties to form bands and harm the people. Riding the wind and driving the rain, they took advantage of people’s weakness and waited for a chance to attack, bringing on all kinds of illnesses. Many suffered from their assaults; some even met an untimely death before their allotted years were complete.

Later, the spirits revealed the Scripture of Divine Incantations at Duyang Palace and taught it to the Perfected Tang Ping, instructing him to spread the scripture and save living beings. The text circulated among the people. When they saw Wang Jian and Bai Qi mentioned in it, they dismissed it as absurd fiction. In fact, these were generals of former times: while alive, they commanded armies; after death, they became leaders among the ghosts. Those who had performed meritorious deeds were promoted to offices in the underworld; those who had slaughtered living beings remained among the demons, exploiting the declining Qi of the Five Phases to bring people all kinds of illnesses. But if they were subdued by the power of Yang and brought to submission through divine incantations, they would naturally restrain themselves.

Now the spirits have once again transmitted the Scripture of Divine Transformation and the Scripture of Divine Incantations to you, instructing you to follow their teachings and save and protect the people. They then ordered an attendant to open the precious case containing the Nine Radiances and gave Zuan the Scripture of Divine Transformation and the Three-Five Great Purification Rite Manual, a set of instructions for Daoist purification rituals. They charged him: “Practice diligently and accumulate enough hidden virtue; only then may you hope to ascend to the ranks of the immortals and perfected beings.” With that, the spirits departed toward the northwest in a procession of carriages and riders, ascending back to Shangqing, the high celestial realm in Daoism.

Zuan carried out the rites in Jiangnan according to the scriptures and ritual manuals. The epidemics gradually subsided, and the people regained their health. From the Jin dynasty to the present, those who have widely received its blessings are too numerous to count.

The Wushang Biyao (Essential Secrets of the Most High) records that long ago, a Daoist priest observed the fast and recited scriptures. An ordinary man was hired to repair the priest’s kitchen and fasting hall. Seeing how conscientiously he worked, the priest invited him to share the noon meal when it was time to break the fast. Afterward, the priest explained the methods of cultivation and urged him: “Starting today, observe the fast with me; the merit is great. Do not eat again until noon tomorrow, and do not break the fast, or all your effort will be wasted. If you can keep this up, you may be spared the hardships and calamities of the world.” Here, “observing the fast” means restricting one’s food in accordance with fasting requirements and upholding the precepts.

After bowing his head and receiving the precepts, the man departed and returned home at dusk. His wife had waited all day. When she heard him recount the precepts the Daoist priest had passed on, she could not understand them and grew angry. He could not persuade her, and in the end he broke his fast and ate with her.

After he died, Heaven assigned him to serve as the tree spirit of a thousand-year-old tree on Shu Mountain, responsible for providing food from within the tree. Its branches and leaves were lush. One hot summer day, three virtuous men devoted to cultivation passed by and rested beneath it. They sighed, “This tree gives welcome shade, but the sun is nearly at its midday peak. Where can we find something to eat?” The man within the tree replied, “I will prepare a midday meal for the worthy ones. There is no need to worry.” Before long, food arrived, and the three ate together.

After the meal, the worthy men said, “We seek the Dao. Where, ultimately, is it?” The man within the tree answered, “This is merely a natural response; it is not the attainment of the Dao.” One of the worthy men then asked the tree, “Might the great spirit briefly take visible form, so that we may see you?” The man replied from within the tree, “I cannot enable anyone to attain the Dao. Please remember my name and where I live. In the past, when I was a Daoist priest, I urged people to observe the fast, but my wife’s objections led me to break it. My merit was therefore incomplete, and I was assigned to guard this tree as its spirit. I cannot escape this duty. Because I once ate during a fast, Heaven commands me to provide fasting meals at every midday. I am so busy that I have no time to eat and no chance to advance. I beg the worthy ones to go to my home, tell my family what has happened to me, and arrange a three-day fast on my behalf. Then I will be able to ascend to Heaven.”

Moved by his plea, the worthy men went to his home and told his family everything. His family immediately arranged the fast and asked a Daoist priest to burn incense and recite scriptures. For three days, they performed rites to avert misfortune and atone for his transgression. The man was then able to ascend, entering the clouds and receiving an appointment as a free-roaming immortal in the heights of Jingxiao, the lofty realm of the clouds.

Thus, the merit of fasting is immense, and it should not be neglected. This man fasted for only half a day, yet after his death, just one day passed before he was freed from his former condition. He did not have to wait a year to become an immortal. This shows that Heaven’s accounting of merit and wrongdoing is clear and exact. Those who cultivate the Dao should diligently observe the fast and hope to resonate with the unseen powers. Those who are able to practice it will surely gain the opportunity to ascend and become immortals.

The Various Fasting Days Associated with Yin and Yang

The “Three Assembly Days” are the seventh day of the first month, the seventh day of the seventh month, and the fifth day of the tenth month. They are called, respectively, the “Fasting of the Assembly for Promotion and Reward,” the “Fasting of the Assembly for Celebrating Birth,” and the “Fasting of the Great Assembly for Establishing Life.” On these three days, the Three Officials—the Daoist deities who govern Heaven, Earth, and Water—inspect people’s merits and faults. These are suitable days to receive Fulu (talismans and registers), observe fasting and abstinence, and submit memorials, praying for blessings.

The “Five La Days” include the first day of the first month, called the “Heavenly La Fast”; the fifth day of the fifth month, called the “Earthly La Fast”; the seventh day of the seventh month, called the “Dao and De La Fast”; the first day of the tenth month, called the “People’s Year La Fast”; and a festival in the twelfth month, called the “Marquises and Kings La Fast.”

On the Five La Days, one should make offerings to deceased family members. This is the mark of a filial child and can also bring immeasurable blessings. Making offerings on other days is considered improper. Together with the first three San Yuan days—the Upper Origin, Middle Origin, and Lower Origin—these are all days on which people’s calamities are dispelled. On any of them, one may establish a fasting rite, make offerings, and pray for blessings.

The Mingzhen Ke says: At midnight on a Jiazi day and at dusk on a Jiaxu day, the True Officials of the Celestial Emperor descend. During the Shen hour on a Jiashen day and at noon on a Jiawu day, the True Officials of the Terrestrial Emperor descend. During the Chen hour on a Jiachen day and at dawn on a Jiayin day, the True Officials of the Human Emperor descend.

If one performs a fasting rite on these days, the spirits associated with the Five Sacred Peaks and the Four Great Rivers inspect good and evil in their respective directions and report what they have seen.

In addition, at sunrise on a Dingmao day and at cockcrow on a Dingchou day, the True Officials of the Celestial Emperor descend. At sunset on a Dingyou day and in the middle of the night on a Dinghai day, the True Officials of the Terrestrial Emperor descend. In the afternoon on a Dingwei day and later in the day on a Dingsi day, the True Officials of the Human Emperor descend.

If one performs a fasting rite on these days, the Perfected Ones of the Five Sacred Peaks each send five deities to protect the person performing the rite and record that person’s name in the immortal registers, the Daoist rolls listing practitioners.

Volume Thirty-Eight: The Section on Expounding the Precepts, Part One

Expounding the Ten Precepts

The “Account of the Origins” chapter of the Jade Clarity Scripture records that the Dao said: In ancient times, the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning, a revered deity in Daoism, and countless sages and worthies traveled far and wide. At last they came to the Abandoned Worthies world to observe its conditions. There lived a king named Upright Virtue, who was naturally intelligent and skilled in debate. For the sake of all beings, he became their guide and proclaimed to the men and women of his realm: “Today the land is at peace, without war; fires have been extinguished, weapons lie unused, and the crops are abundant. All this is the Dao’s grace; it is not something that comes about of itself. How can we repay this boundless kindness? Only by offering sincere reverence and devotion: building temples, presenting incense, flowers, lamps, and candles, bowing and reciting scriptures morning and evening, observing purification and precepts, and repenting of our faults. In this way, we may pray for blessings.”

The Celestial Worthy then commanded the immortal Giant Spirit to tell the king: “You are the ruler of a country, esteemed by all under heaven. No worldly position is more exalted. If you govern according to the true teaching and do not wrong the people, that alone is enough to move Heaven. Why pursue secret essentials? The Way of the secret essentials is not easily heard. Yet the first step toward cultivating it is simply benevolence. And benevolent conduct must not violate the precepts. There are many kinds of precepts, just as people fall into different categories.

“People of the highest class do not ordinarily break the precepts, and have no need to make a deliberate practice of holding to them. Those of the middle class experience shifts between wholesome and unwholesome thoughts; their minds change with the circumstances they encounter. They therefore need precepts to restrain themselves and keep their thoughts from running unchecked. They may undertake the ten precepts or the five precepts, using them to guard themselves.

“People of the lowest class have many harmful thoughts and are difficult to restrain. This class is further divided into two kinds. The better kind is willing to observe the precepts and may undertake 199 precepts, the three hundred great precepts for observing the body, or the 1,200 precepts of deportment, which govern everyday conduct. These can help protect them and keep them from acting without restraint or crossing the bounds. The other kind behaves like beasts: though human in form, they have no heart for benevolence. Even if they undertake the precepts, it will do them no good.

“I will now first explain the ten precepts for the middle class, as the initial rules for entering the Dao.” On hearing this, the assembled people rejoiced, bowed low, and declared their willingness to follow the precepts. The Celestial Worthy then began to speak:

The first precept: Do not defy your parents or teachers, or act rebelliously and disrespectfully.

The second precept: Do not kill living beings or harm life.

The third precept: Do not betray your ruler or plot to endanger your family and country.

The fourth precept: Do not engage in sexual relations with close relatives, such as paternal or maternal aunts and sisters, or with other women.

The fifth precept: Do not slander the Daoist teachings or carelessly disclose the scriptures.

The sixth precept: Do not defile a sacred altar space or appear improperly dressed or naked. An altar space is a place for Daoist rituals and practice.

The seventh precept: Do not oppress the lonely, destitute, poor, or weak, or seize another person’s property.

The eighth precept: Do not expose your body beneath the sun, moon, and stars, and do not despise or reject the elderly or ill. The “Three Luminaries” refers to the sun, moon, and stars.

The ninth precept: Do not become addicted to alcohol or indulge your impulses; do not spread gossip or use cruel words to hurt others.

The tenth precept: Do not abuse your power or act arrogantly and domineeringly, or wield authority without restraint to pursue private gain.

These ten precepts should be observed and upheld throughout one’s life.

“Upper-Grade Great Precepts (with Preface)”:

The Great Precepts of the Supreme One, Cavern Mystery, Numinous Treasure, for Dispelling Demons, Preserving the True, Settling the Will, Wisdom, and Original Vows.

The Shangpin Jing says: The Immortal Lord of the Supreme Ultimate (Taiji) observed ritual purity and cultivated in stillness on Mount Tiantai, devoting himself to contemplating the Dao. He bowed to the Master of the Supreme Ultimate, Xu Laile, and asked for instruction: “I am fortunate to serve the Heavenly Worthy and hear teachings of subtle depth. They reach across countless kalpas and penetrate the source of the Great Dao; the joy they bring me is beyond compare. Since youth I have loved the immortals and the path of ascending to heaven in broad daylight. I have devoted myself to admiring the highest sages and often imagined their realm. Yet the Daoist scriptures are profound and obscure, and their exquisite meanings are difficult to grasp. I hope to receive oral instructions that will dispel what is dark and unclear, make hidden and profound principles suddenly clear, and help me understand the principles of being and nonbeing. I have still not fully understood the origins of the causes and conditions from my past lives, or the course of my original life. I ask the Heavenly Worthy to guide me through what I have yet to comprehend.”

At that time, the Perfected One Taishang Xu Gao chanted the “Cavern Chapter for Treading the Void” (a text recited in Daoist purification and offering rituals). He smiled warmly, his face shining with golden light, and said: “Having devoted yourself to contemplating the Dao through many kalpas, you have earned a jade name among the Supreme Ultimate, and taken your place in the human world, endowed with the seeds of wisdom. In the future, you will walk alone in the Jade Capital (the dwelling of the Celestial Emperor), transcend the Three Realms, and assume the exalted office of Immortal Lord of the Most High. You are compassionate and care for the people of heaven and earth; you also seek to guide those who come after you. You often set aside your own interests to save living beings, and you possess virtue without seeking fame.”

The principles explained by Xuandu are surely true. Someone therefore said to the Perfected One of Supreme Ultimate, “You received the teachings of the Supreme Lord of the Void Emperor and served as his tutor, guiding and educating his disciples. Surely you have already transmitted to him all the profound and subtle principles of the High and Supreme Great Cavern—the Daoist path of supreme mystery. Why, then, should he need to say more? I have been fortunate enough to receive the appointment of Dharma Master in Charge of the Teachings. As for lecturing from the text, I shall leave that to you.”

The Perfected One of Supreme Ultimate replied, “This youth of pure innocence, whose name is recorded on a golden register, has a clear and lofty nature and exceptional talent. He understands the mysterious, subtle, and empty Dao of the Supreme One, and so should take on the duties of an Immortal Lord. He is broad-minded and will spread the Great Dao. I have been fortunate enough to receive instruction, yet I am ashamed that I am not worthy to be his teacher. Since the Supreme One has given the command, how could I fail to do my utmost to teach him? As for overseeing the teachings of the myriad mysteries, that must depend on you, Dharma Master.”

The Perfected One of Supreme Ultimate continued, “The Dao has neither shape nor form, yet it encompasses and connects all things without limit. If you seek the Dao, it is within yourself, even as it manifests throughout all existence. By entering from the realm of form into the formless, and by concentrating your thoughts, you can grasp the mystery. The myriad things of the world flourish in profusion, like illusions, but in the end all return to emptiness. The human body is the same: when a person dies, the Shen leaves the body, just as when a house collapses its occupant has nowhere to live. When the body decays, the Shen no longer dwells within it.

“Therefore, restrain distracting thoughts and settle the mind. Let the body become still and the Shen calm; cherish the original Qi and preserve the vital essence. Set aside all manner of reflection, quietly contemplate, and turn your gaze inward. In this way, body and Shen can become one. When body and Shen are united, one approaches the True Body, the state of body and spirit in cultivation that transcends the ordinary.

“This is in fact connected to one’s conduct in past lives and to thoughts and responses accumulated over a long period. It is also connected to helping living beings and secretly bestowing De on all things. As causes and conditions turn in cycles, offenses and blessings correspond to one another; life and death wax and wane in turn; the noble and the lowly serve one another; the wise and the foolish contend with one another; the poor and the rich deceive one another; and good and evil reveal one another. The suffering within this is boundless. It is all brought about by people’s actions and desires, not by the Dao, Heaven, Earth, humanity, or the myriad things. Its root lies in the human heart.”

Once this pattern of treatment has taken hold, it is difficult to escape. Among those whose circumstances are troubled and who have lost their support, few believe in the Dao, while many believe in fate. People oppress one another over wealth and poverty, and good and evil reveal themselves in turn; the suffering they endure is endless. All this is brought about by people’s actions and desires. It is caused neither by the Dao, Heaven, Earth, humanity, nor the myriad things. Its root lies in the thoughts of the human heart. Once this pattern of treatment has taken hold, it is hard to break free.

If you do not accumulate good deeds and strengthen your resolve, cultivate De and regulate yourself, yet hope to disregard De and forget yourself while grasping for things outside you, how could you possibly obtain them? Since they cannot be obtained, such striving often ends by harming you. Thus, those who possess the Dao seek within themselves and do not make demands of others. The scripture says, “Only by cultivating oneself can De become genuine.” This is what it means.

If, in learning the Dao, you do not accept the way of great wisdom, put into practice the fundamental vows and conduct, and observe the highest precepts, you have no karmic affinity to become a High Immortal. You have karmic ties from previous lives, which is why you are able to encounter this scripture. Its teachings are secret and must first be met with faith and tested through action. Only then may they be transmitted; they must not be shown casually to others. If someone does not believe, strange thoughts will surely arise. Once they do, both the transmitter and the recipient of the scripture will incur guilt. Therefore, the scripture must be kept hidden until someone destined to become an Immortal King appears; only then should it be revealed to them.

At that time, cloud dragons will soar, the heavens will scatter flowers, flying fragrances will drift through the air, and rising mists will calm the waves of mountains and seas. All kinds of living beings will lie quiet in hiding; ghosts and demons will vanish, and spirits and fiends will be subdued. The many forms of suffering will be relieved together, and people will be freed from the hells. Those who have done evil will turn toward goodness, while those who believe and follow the teachings will receive blessings.

Then the Supreme Ultimate (Taiji), a revered deity in the Daoist pantheon, commanded Liu Wenjing, the immortal who attended the scriptures, to open the place where they were stored and transmit the scripture to its recipient.

The Perfected One of the Supreme Ultimate said: “In life after life, one should honor and serve one’s scripture master, recite the teachings aloud and put them into practice; aid those in hardship and delight in honoring the Three Treasures—the Dao, the scriptures, and the masters, which Daoism reveres; be loyal to one’s ruler and filial to one’s parents; long for mountains and waters, and draw near to the worthy and the Confucian scholars; seek the Dao with a humble heart, burn incense and scatter flowers; protect and save living beings; cultivate the Dao and make amends for one’s faults; trust and accept the workings of fate; quiet the mind, reflect, and restrain the emotions. Through such cultivation, one may ascend to immortality and transcend the mortal world…”

People in this life may be reborn in a future life as wealthy and honored. In this life, they may hold a noble position, be handsome or beautiful, possess exceptional intelligence, and embody all the virtues expected of a human being. But those who are wealthy and honored in this life and mock the poor and lowly will receive poverty and low status as retribution in a future life.

Those who enjoy killing in this life will suffer injury and killing in a future life. Those who slight others and ridicule people for their unattractive appearance will themselves be unattractive in a future life. Those who are clever but refuse to teach others will become dull-witted and closed off. Those whose bodies remain healthy year after year yet mock the sick and suffering will contract illnesses that resist treatment. Those who do not believe in the Dao and ridicule the scriptures and teachings will be ignorant and base in a future life, cut off from the Dao for a long time.

If a woman in this life takes another person’s husband, she will have few companions in a future life or be widowed early. If a man seduces another person’s wife, he will be alone and without a partner in a future life. If someone once vows to marry a particular person but they cannot both be reborn as humans in a future life, they will become troublesome spirits after death. Their lingering attachment will take the form of an afflicting illness, believed to be caused by evil spirits or entanglements from the past. Without profound Daoist methods, it is difficult to undo these entanglements left by previous lives and dispel such illnesses.

The bonds between parents, siblings, spouses, sovereigns and subjects, teachers and elders, and friends all arise from vows and thoughts formed in previous lives. Through successive cycles of rebirth, these bonds give rise to one another, and each has its corresponding cause. Thus blessings and misfortunes depend on one another, and causes and conditions circulate without end. Only those who cultivate the Dao of the immortals should let go of all such attachments, transcend life and death, return to the mysterious Dao, and enter its wondrous realm. Only when one understands this can one speak of the foundations of studying the Dao.

When seeing someone who lives at home with a wife and children, may all beings soon be freed from the bonds of affection and desire, gather their thoughts, and uphold the precepts.

When seeing someone drinking wine, may all beings restrain their desires and safeguard the foundations of body and mind, so as to stay clear of calamity and disorder.

When seeing a woman, may all beings keep their emotions in check, restrain sexual desire, and turn their hearts toward virtue and integrity.

When seeing someone given to lust, may all beings cast aside wrongful thoughts and sincerely observe the prohibitions. When seeing a married woman, may all beings endure and relinquish worldly splendor, abide in the Dao, and find joy in themselves.

When seeing someone upright and chaste, may all beings practice honesty and trustworthiness, uphold moral conduct, and gradually enter the gate of the Dao.

When seeing a crowd, may all beings put benevolence into practice, refrain from contending with one another, and hold the Great Dao in their hearts, so that the world may be at peace.

When seeing a good person, may all beings keep good deeds constantly in mind and look up to the supremely true Great Dao. When seeing an evil person, may all beings turn from evil toward good and avoid breaking the laws of the realm.

When seeing someone in poverty, may all beings give generously, even at personal cost, and thereby attain great blessings in the future. When seeing someone wealthy, may all beings aid all things and enjoy good fortune and prosperity in every generation.

When seeing someone of high rank, may all beings accept and follow their teachings, putting every instruction into practice. When seeing someone of low status, may all beings cultivate diligently and without slackening, each achieving what they seek and attaining great blessings.

When seeing the emperor, may all beings honor and uphold the kingly Way, venerating it as they would their parents. When seeing the ministers who assist the ruler, may all beings accept their instruction and discipline, so that benevolence and virtue may spread in every direction.

When seeing weapons and armor, may all beings hold benevolent hearts, so that people throughout the world may yield to one another and honor the worthy.

When seeing a prince, may all beings sing each day of peace and prosperity, so that the state may have a firm foundation and family lines may continue.

When seeing a worthy person, may all beings practice that person’s virtue, making the Great Dao a model for the world.

When seeing a master who teaches the Dao, may all beings understand the laws of the Way and attain the state of Wuwei (non-action) that comes with realizing the Dao.

When seeing a Daoist who lives in seclusion in the mountains, may all beings grasp the principles of the Daoist tradition, swiftly realize the Dao, and ascend to immortality.

When carrying out the work of transforming and teaching, may all people personally receive the sacred teachings and become deeply learned. When encountering a sage, may all people honor and bow to them, serve them with reverence, and inspire every nation to look up to them in admiration. When encountering an immortal, may all people cultivate the true Dao and ascend by flight to the heavenly realms.

When encountering a city wall or town, may all people restore and adorn it, making the Dao its foundation. When encountering a great state, may all people turn their hearts toward the Dao and admire its De, as countless rivers flow into the sea. When encountering a small state, may all people be content with their lot, humble and peaceable, dwelling securely in their own place. When encountering a marketplace or court, may worthy people gather like clouds and together promote the true Way. When encountering a place for quiet cultivation and contemplation, may all people attain lofty merit and virtue, so that both heavenly beings and humans can attain the Dao.

When encountering fasting and the offering of incense in reverence, may all people renew their virtue day by day, and may ritual and instruction be upright and refined. When encountering the recitation of scripture, may all people ascend to the high seat and listen together to the sacred sound of the scriptures. When encountering teachings from the scriptures, may all people receive, recite, and honor them, and spread their instruction everywhere. When encountering a tower or Daoist monastery, may all people see clearly in the ten directions, with nothing concealed from them. When encountering a high mountain, may all people have broad and discerning wisdom, and help bring success to their families and states.

When resting in a dense forest, may all people dwell freely and securely, receiving shelter and peace. When encountering someone diligent in study, may all people become masters of the tradition, taking in disciples and transmitting the teachings. When washing their hands, may all people hold the scriptures in their hands at all times and never slacken, even for a moment. When encountering someone skilled in speaking, may all people immerse themselves in the meaning of the Dongjing, Daoist scriptures, finding something new each day without growing weary. With each step they take, may all people transcend the Three Realms—the Realm of Desire, the Realm of Form, and the Formless Realm—and ascend by flight to Shangqing, the Daoist high heavenly realm. When standing quietly, may all people withdraw from view, gather the Shen and preserve their true nature, and dwell peacefully in emptiness and stillness.

When seeing food and drink, may all beings cast off the burdens of affliction, enter a state of purity, and savor the taste of attaining the Dao. When seeing great storehouses, may all beings dispel calamities and accumulate merit and virtue through giving. When seeing illness, may all beings settle body and mind in accordance with the Dao and be spared suffering. When seeing death and funerals, may all beings study the Daoist teachings and attain long life, and deliver the “Three Classes” (those whom Daoism says must be saved). When seeing hunting, may all beings escape the cycle of birth and death, enter the realm of the Dao, and commit no misdeeds. When seeing the Yi and Di (ancient terms for peoples living in distant regions), may all beings be born in China (the Central Plains, as they were called in ancient times) and not in remote lands. When seeing the young, may all beings study in good time and ultimately complete their studies and earn a name for learning. When seeing the elderly who are ill, may all beings nourish and protect life through the Dao and no longer grow old.

When seeing the Three Lights (sun, moon, and stars), may all beings receive the radiance of spiritual illumination; may darkness thereby disperse, and may they ultimately complete their studies and earn a name for learning. When seeing clouds and rain, may all beings receive abundant blessings, and may all things be well suited to their needs. When seeing white snow, may all beings remain pure and spotless, free and at ease. When seeing a numinous wind, may all beings embody De (Virtue/Power) and shine with radiance, spreading its blessings far and near. When seeing pure water, may all beings wash away defilement, return to emptiness and clarity, and become even-minded within. When seeing precious incense, may all beings receive its fragrant purity, so that every kind of impurity is swept away. When seeing beautiful flowers, may all beings delight in scattering them as offerings to the sages and be endowed with dignified, beautiful features. When seeing carriages and horses, may all beings attain the Dao through Wuwei (non-action), riding the wind and driving dragons. When hearing string music and song, may all beings delight in studying the scriptures and praising the Daoist teachings, taking the Dao as their joy. When seeing abundant food, may all beings be well fed and enjoy the things of the world…

The blessing for merit and virtue described in “The Celestial Kitchen” expresses the hope that the grace of virtue will be passed down to later generations, like the many rivers flowing into the sea, so that the clan will prosper for generations and live for a long time in peace, honor, and distinction, with every generation born into a wealthy and eminent family. When one sees someone giving alms and sharing their wealth, one should make a vow and offer blessings for all people: may every calamity be dispelled, may good fortune reach the ten directions, may virtue be as vast as mountains and seas, and may everyone prosper and flourish. May the seven ancestral generations ascend to heaven; may the descendants be worthy and loyal, and the family wealthy and illustrious; may all wishes be fulfilled, and may they study the Dao, become immortals, and ride clouds and dragons.

Whether sitting or lying down, Daoists should always hold this kind of aspiration: may our Four Great Elements—the earth, water, fire, and wind that constitute the human body—and the nine yin forces be harmonized; may good fortune reach the ten directions, may virtue be as vast as mountains and seas, and may everyone prosper and flourish. May the seven ancestral generations ascend to heaven; may the descendants be worthy and loyal, and the family wealthy and illustrious; may all wishes be fulfilled, and may they study the Dao, become immortals, and ride clouds and dragons. One should also aspire that we share the virtue of the Four Great Elements, unite with the Dao’s true nature, and endure forever in the Mysterious Capital, the Daoist realm of immortals; that teachers and friends return to the natural state; and that we save beings throughout the ten directions, bring grace to all under heaven, wander freely in Wuwei (non-action), and see into the Gate of Mystery.

Three Blessings for Bowing to the Scripture

The Instructions of the Perfected says that the immortal youths and jade maidens who attend the scripture scrolls rejoice and protect those who recite these blessings when they hear them. Therefore, these blessings should be recited when bowing to this great scripture. If one is simply bowing to the scripture in quiet contemplation, the blessings may also be recited silently in the heart. These are secret blessings transmitted by the High Immortals.

First Blessing

Take the practice of the Dao as one’s companion, and cherish the scriptures as precious as pearls and jade. Uphold the precepts, restrain the six senses and desires, focus the mind on the Dao, and dispel all manner of craving. Make the mind calm and detached, and settle the vital energy. Let the spirit be quiet and at ease, silent and undisturbed. Even the heavenly demons will respectfully join in protecting the practitioner, bringing great blessings to them in every generation.

Second Blessing

May the nation prosper, and may the scriptures and the Daoist teachings flourish widely. May Heaven and the human world share a common aspiration and gradually enter the Great Vehicle, the broad path of practice that saves all beings. Through sincerity, cultivate blessings and virtue; may the Dharma Wheel, a symbol of the ceaseless spread and teaching of the Dao, turn slowly and flourish. May the seven ancestral generations ascend to heaven, and may I soar into the sky in broad daylight.

Third Blessing

No blessing appears after “Third Blessing” in the source text, so there is no content here to interpret.

The Great Dao is profound and mysterious. Whatever one prays for in one’s heart can be opened to understanding and answered. Through cultivating the body, one can transform it into the body of an immortal, eventually forming a physique as indestructible as diamond. In this way, one transcends the sufferings of the Three Realms—the Desire Realm, the Form Realm, and the Formless Realm—and is freed from the many torments of hell. All of this is found in the Supreme Master’s scriptures, revered in Daoism. One should recite them with a quiet mind and bow in reverence.

The Perfected One of the Supreme Ultimate said: Those who study the Way of becoming an immortal should accumulate 1,200 good deeds, seeking no reward in the end. Accumulating 3,000 good deeds enables one to ascend to heaven in broad daylight. These deeds should include rescuing people who are about to die and saving them from calamity. Showing kindness to others is especially virtuous. Those who study the Dao should make all their conduct accord with Daoist teachings and widely cultivate fields of merit by doing good and accumulating De. They should awaken great compassion and keep the Dao in mind at all times, whether active or at rest. If they can do this, and then practice breathing techniques to regulate the breath and nourish Qi, take medicines, wear Fulu (talismans and registers), and read scriptures, working diligently throughout their lives without slackening, how could they fail to become immortals? Without such virtue, even taking medicines, wearing Fulu, reading scriptures, and observing purification will bring no results by the end of one’s life. Those who study the Dao should carefully reflect on these essential teachings.

The Perfected One of the Supreme Ultimate said: Accumulating 300 good deeds can make one an earthly immortal, one who dwells on earth and endures without dying. If one’s good deeds are not brought to completion, one must begin accumulating them again from the start, and all previous merit will be lost. Keeping the intention to do good in one’s heart at all times and never forgetting it fulfills this requirement. Guiding others to do good also counts as one’s own merit.

The Perfected One of the Supreme Ultimate said: One should often recite and chant the scriptures of the Caverns, practice great compassion, put others before oneself, promote good deeds, and remedy wrongdoing. One should sever all attachments, dispel distracting thoughts, and abide in emptiness and stillness, making the mind like the Great Mystery—a realm of profound, quiet mystery—in pursuit of the Great Dao. Only then can one be said to truly understand the Way of the immortals.

The Perfected Person of Taiji said, “In the past, I received from the August Sovereign of the High Dao the Ten Good Precepts of Taiji Wisdom for Encouraging Goodness and Supporting Virtue—precepts for urging people to do good and helping them cultivate virtue. Those who uphold and practice the Great Dao life after life can easily guide others to salvation; this blessing arises naturally. I received these precepts in the past and upheld and practiced the Great Dao life after life. Guiding others to salvation was easy; this was a blessing gained naturally. The Most High teaches them widely to the heavenly beings and the people of the world, so that each person may fulfill their deepest aspirations. From then on, they may enter the Dao and remain in Wuwei (non-action) for a long time, no longer suffering the ten forms of hardship, the eight calamities, or the retribution brought by sinful deeds. The hells will thereby fade away, and the Three Officials—the divine authorities governing Heaven, Earth, and Water—will find respite. People will enjoy peace and leisure day after day, and prosperity and happiness for generations. Everyone will escape the bonds that ensnare them, find security in future lives, live with a tranquil nature, and see their heartfelt wishes fulfilled. These precepts should be transmitted to virtuous people who sincerely believe.”

The Ten Good Precepts for Encouragement says: Urging people to honor and revere the Three Treasures (the Dao, the scriptures, and the masters), and to make offerings to Dharma masters—those who transmit the teachings, encourage goodness, and serve as examples—enables them to be exemplary gentlemen in every life: virtuous, filial, and exceptionally gifted, attaining distinguished and honored positions. When born among humanity, they will be respected, and their families will prosper.

The precepts say: Urging people to help administer and copy scriptures enables them to be intelligent in every life, widely learned and well informed, and to understand subtle and profound principles. They will often encounter enlightened eras, read various scriptural teachings, and be able to recite the scriptures.

The precepts say: Urging people to help arrange purification rites and clean and prepare ritual sites enables their families to be distinguished in every life. They themselves will ascend to the heavenly realm, have food and drink provided naturally, and dwell constantly in Wuwei.

The precepts say: Urging people to help provide incense, oil, and various offerings enables them to prosper in every life. Their bodies and minds will be fragrant, pure, and radiant; their appearance will be exceptional, and their natural gifts refined and beautiful.

The precepts say: Urging people to help provide incense, oil, and various offerings enables their families to be distinguished in every life. They will ascend to the heavenly realm, have food and drink provided naturally, and dwell constantly in Wuwei.

The precepts say: Urging people to help Dharma masters obtain ritual robes enables them to live at ease and in quiet elegance in every life, settled in the Central States rather than falling into remote, uncivilized regions. Men and women alike will be upright and beautiful, and their robes, headwear, jade pendants, and other adornments will befit their status.

The precepts say: Urging people to help the ruler and their parents, and to teach the people loyalty and children filial devotion, enables them to have many descendants in every life. Their sons and daughters will be virtuous and learned, and they will be spared all manner of hardship.

The precepts say: Encourage people to support fasting and quiet cultivation, and to recite the scriptures. This can keep them from falling into hell in lifetime after lifetime. After death, they will ascend to Heaven, pay their respects to the assembled saints, and quickly be reborn into a noble family. Whatever they wish for in their hearts, they will receive; every precious and fine thing will be theirs. Their ancestors for seven generations will rejoice together, and they will enjoy every kind of good fortune. Their whole lives will be marked by honor and ease, their mastery of the Dao will continually grow, and in the end they will attain the Way of the immortals.

The precepts say: Encourage and help people study the scriptures. This can bring them clear understanding and talent in lifetime after lifetime, along with dignified conduct and bearing, so that they often become teachers to others.

The precepts say: Encourage and help people give alms, offer admonitions, and strive to do good. This can bring them long life, wealth, and ease in lifetime after lifetime, free from resentment and distress.

The precepts say: Encourage and help people cast off jealousy and desire, and practice every kind of good deed. This can bring them ease in lifetime after lifetime, free from calamity and unrest. The sick will recover on their own; officials will rise step by step and earn the respect of all. They will receive auspicious protection in all things. Their family will be honored and upright, cherished by the heavenly beings and spirits; gods and demons will often come to guard them, and they will often be reborn in blessed lands.

The Perfected One of Taiji, a revered Daoist deity, said: Of all the evil acts people commit, none are worse than jealousy, taking life, greed, extravagance, arrogance, and sexual misconduct. Keeping even one of these in the heart will shorten one’s life. To harbor such evil thoughts while still hoping to cultivate the Way of the immortals—is this not deeply tragic?

The Ten Good Deeds and Ten Evils of the Book of the Heavenly Empyrean.

As long as one practices the “Ten Good Deeds,” the ten kinds of evil conduct will naturally cease. By stopping evil and doing good, one can cultivate a vast and compassionate De (Virtue/Power). Thus, the Upper Grade Precepts say: rescue the dead and deliver living beings; heal the sick; give generously and aid the poor; part with your own possessions to help others; serve your teachers and care for younger students; build quiet places for cultivation; copy and revise the scriptures; observe purification and abstinence, and devote yourself to reciting the Dao; be humble and yield what is rightfully yours to others; do not compete for fame or merit; teach and guide the ignorant masses; offer counsel and debate to turn people away from evil; dig wells beside roads; plant fruit trees; teach the young and uninformed; and urge people to do good. Let your words and actions serve as an example, and make your every movement worthy of emulation. Ensure that the teachings and rules you set out can be put into practice, and conduct yourself this way at all times. Only one who fulfills all ten good deeds can be called a Daoist. Without cultivating good deeds, even retreating to the mountains and forests is futile.

If you believe in this teaching, you should diligently seek out the various precepts. There are many kinds of precepts; choose which to practice according to your own circumstances and affinities. The countless precepts and regulations are all meant to help people guard their nature and restrain the three forms of karma: speech, bodily conduct, and thoughts of the mind. A person’s activities and deeds can create boundless good and evil. Among these, ten kinds of evil conduct are the roots of wrongdoing: first, lying; second, speaking frivolously and ornamentally; third, sowing discord; fourth, insulting and slandering. These four are evils of speech; cultivating their opposites makes them good deeds. Fifth is greed, sixth theft, and seventh sexual misconduct; these three concern bodily conduct. Eighth is envy, ninth anger and resentment, and tenth false views and delusion; these three concern the mind. The karma of the mind is the weightiest and is the source of the ten evils. To end the ten evils, cultivate the foundations of the ten good deeds: speak truthfully and uprightly; communicate kindly and recite the scriptures; yield to others and give away your wealth to help them; remain pure and upright both inwardly and outwardly; rejoice in and praise the good deeds of others; and honor and believe in the “Three Honored Ones,” the sacred beings revered in Daoism. With these ten good deeds in place, the ten evils can be completely eliminated.

Ten Precepts of the Scripture on Contemplation of the Subtle and Settling the Will

First, do not kill. Always keep all living beings in your thoughts. Second, do not engage in sexual misconduct or violate another person’s wife or daughter. Third, do not steal or take what has been gained unjustly. Fourth, do not deceive, call good evil or evil good, or confuse right and wrong. Fifth, do not give yourself over to drunkenness; keep your thoughts on pure conduct. Sixth, live in harmony with your clan and relatives, and do not treat your family as strangers. Seventh, when you see someone doing good, wish to help them and take joy in what they do. Eighth, when you see someone sorrowful or in hardship, help them do good and build up merit and blessings. Ninth, if someone harms me, I resolve not to retaliate. Tenth, I will not begrudge anyone any Daoist teachings or methods they have yet to receive.

The scripture records that twelve young men lived among ordinary people. They enjoyed helping others do good and took joy in doing so. They often arranged to meet, prepare a lavish meal, drink wine, and amuse themselves. At times, they also discussed whether keeping the precepts was difficult or easy.

The Celestial Worthy, a revered deity in Daoism, saw them from afar with the eye of the Dao and knew that one of them had once been a teacher of the Dao in a previous life. He had hidden the scriptures instead of passing them on to his disciples, and had wavered in his resolve to seek the Dao. Now there was still an opportunity to guide him toward deliverance. So the Celestial Worthy took on the appearance of an ordinary person, passed by their gathering, asked them for food, and struck up a conversation.

The young men resumed their discussion as before. One of them said, “I often go with my elder brother to Mount Anle. The Daoist priests there all observe the Ten Precepts and carry themselves with dignity. It is truly admirable. After a person dies, the hun and shen should also have somewhere to return to. But it is really hard to follow all ten of these precepts.”

The Celestial Worthy, still disguised as an ordinary person, said, “Keeping the precepts is easy; breaking them is hard.” The others asked, “Why is it easy to keep the precepts, but harder not to keep them?” The disguised Celestial Worthy replied, “If you uphold the precepts and conduct yourself properly, you need not fear the Son of Heaven or the spirits and gods. What is difficult about that? Those who break the precepts have something to fear at every turn. That is what is hard.”

One of them said, “I can keep all the other precepts, but giving up wine is the only one I find difficult. I used to take powdered medicine. When it took effect, only wine could ease it, so it is hard for me to give it up.”

The disguised Celestial Worthy said, “Wine needed when the powdered medicine takes effect is being used as medicine. To care for the body and treat illness, medicine may be used as appropriate, as long as it is not taken in excess.”

Another said, “I can do everything else, but never telling a falsehood is the only thing that is hard. If something is secret, one ought to cover for someone in the presence of an elder. But if others ask about it, one cannot deceive them, or one breaks the precept. That is a difficult position.”

The disguised Celestial Worthy said, “Some matters should be kept hidden, and there are appropriate ways to adapt and handle them flexibly. But you must not call good evil or evil good, nor distort right and wrong or gossip about other people’s faults.”

Another said, “I can keep all the other precepts, but not stealing is the only one that is hard. Even a very small lapse might be regarded as breaking a precept.”

The disguised Celestial Worthy said, “Breaking a precept in a serious matter is certainly grave, but one should be even more careful in small matters.” Then he recited:

The passage ends by introducing a verse, but the quoted scripture does not include the verse itself.

Why not undertake the precept against stealing? Even without undertaking it, it is hard to escape the consequences of theft. Who says that deeds done in secret go unnoticed? Even in secret, there are officials who record acts of theft. The value of what is taken doubles each year, growing ever greater, and the punishment will not be reduced. One may even have to hold molten copper in one’s hands while it burns the mouth and boils the heart and liver. At the thought of such suffering, even speaking of it for a moment leaves one heartsick for a whole year. Why not undertake this precept? Keeping it is the way to protect oneself. I uphold this precept, and others uphold it too; wherever we go, we can live in peace. Sit quietly and await the spirits’ arrival, and enjoy the bliss of long life forever.

Someone said, “The other precepts are all easy to keep; only sexual desire is hardest to abandon. The reason is that I have experienced these things before, and I often join my elder brother in the midday fasting meal. As I fast, I always tell myself, ‘Today I will persevere in diligent practice and go to no extremes. I also think the other precepts are all easy to keep; only sexual desire is hardest to abandon.’ I had thought that after death I would receive the blessings of observing the fast. But at night, the desires I cherish and cannot let go come to torment me. Even when I strive to suppress them, I break the precept without realizing it. This happens every time, which shows that sexual desire is hardest to renounce.”

The manifested teacher—a figure appearing in transformed form to teach and guide people—said, “Attachment to physical beauty is only an image in the mind. Images are empty at their source; what unchanging beauty is there, really? First observe your own body and understand that it has no firm basis. Then you will know that beauty, too, does not truly exist. What, then, could you not endure? Besides, indulging sexual desire is like drinking salt water: the more you drink, the thirstier you become, and you will never be satisfied until you die. How could you ever be content?”

Then he spoke this verse: “The distress brought by lust is worse than thirst; endure it a little, and you can pass beyond it. Why keep drinking salt water? The saltier it is, the thirstier you become. If you can truly free yourself from craving, you should drink the sweet dew of heaven. Fragrant and rich, it flows through the whole body. The immortals come drawn by its scent, and naturally grasp the wondrous principle. Then they dwell in peace and freedom, abiding in Wuwei (non-action) for a long time, and preserving forever the blessings of the Nine Heavens.”

Another person said, “I can keep all the other precepts; only abstaining from killing is hardest. Why? I love eating chicken. If a meal has no chicken, I find it completely tasteless, and within a few days I grow thin.”

The manifested teacher said, “For a worthy person, becoming fat is a misfortune. When you grow thin, your body becomes light and nimble. What need is there to be fat?” Then he spoke this verse:

Renouncing the Taking of Life: I can observe nearly all the other precepts, but refraining from killing is very difficult. Why? Because I love eating chicken. If there is no chicken at a meal, I find it entirely tasteless, and after a few days I grow thin.

The manifested immortal sage said, “For a virtuous practitioner, a stout body is a burden. A leaner body is lighter and more nimble. Why seek to be stout?” He then said:

A worthy person should refrain from killing and should not even entertain the thought of harming living beings. However small they may be, all beings delight in growing and living. Why take their lives and offer them up to sustain yourself? Nourishing your body by killing lasts only for a time, yet it will deprive you of your natural clarity and peace, and leave you sunk for ages in the Three Evil Paths—the realms of hell, hungry ghosts, and animals—enduring hardship again and again. Good and evil each bring their own consequences, just as every cry must have an echo. Why not change your ways and urge yourself onward with compassion? Then a perfected immortal sage can travel hand in hand with you, carefree above the cloudscapes of heaven.

When he had finished this verse of instruction, the manifested sage revealed immense divine majesty and the supremely wondrous bearing of a Dao adept. His attendants and officials, along with the grand music of the celestial realm, were beyond the full reach of words or sight. Then all returned together to heaven. Everyone witnessed the scene, their hearts filled with joy and awe. Having heard this vital teaching, they became clear in mind and suddenly awakened; together, they attained the fruit of the Dao.

The Scripture of the Wondrous Grove: Twenty-Seven Precepts

The Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning, one of the highest deities revered in Daoism, admonished the four assemblies of disciples gathered there and all living beings: People cling greedily to worldly pursuits, cherish life, and detest death. Though they wish in their hearts to attain longevity, they create karmic causes that lead to death. If they do not uphold the precepts, then even if they hear vital teachings, they will find it difficult truly to understand, awaken, and attain the fruit of the Dao.

The Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning said to the four assemblies present—the four kinds of Dao cultivators—and to all living beings: “Living beings are attached to worldly pursuits and delight in life while fearing death. Though they wish in their hearts to seek long life, they continually commit harmful deeds that bring death upon them. If you do not observe the precepts and cultivate, then even if you live a long time, how are you different from an old tree? If you can observe the precepts and cultivate, then after death you may be appointed to a celestial office, ascend to immortality, and live in freedom.

“Even those who hold the rank of lord or prince, or are exalted as emperors, may still face severe punishment after death because of their karmic offenses. Their rank brings no benefit among ghosts and spirits, and the suffering they undergo is beyond endurance. Good men, consider this carefully. Observe and uphold the precepts with clarity, and cultivate the Dao with a sincere and upright heart. I will explain it to you: nothing under Heaven exists forever. All things are subject to birth and death, success and failure. The sun rises and then sets; the moon waxes full and then wanes. From ancient times to the present, who has been able to defy this pattern?

“If you follow the Dao and De, cultivate goodness, and let good conduct continue without being cut off by birth and death, then this month is an auspicious time, this day is an auspicious day, and this very moment is an auspicious time. Accumulate goodness and De without cease, complete every kind of good deed, and protect and uphold them with good intentions; then you can enter the Dharma Treasure—the orthodox teachings and methods of cultivation of Daoism. The precepts say:

“Do not steal another person’s possessions or take what belongs to others without cause. Do not lie or speak frivolous, useless words. Do not kill anyone out of resentment.

“Do not be greedy, angry, ignorant, or cruel. Do not use your age to bully others. Do not harbor malice and curse people. Do not shout insults at them.

“Do not disparage or slander others. Do not spread discord or flatter insincerely. Do not discuss other people’s strengths and shortcomings. Do not take pleasure in talking about their faults.

“Do not disparage good people to exalt yourself. Do not assume you are always right or become arrogant and conceited. Do not secretly keep poison to harm others. Do not write letters falsely accusing good people.

“Do not slight the teachings of the scriptures. Do not slander the sacred scriptures of the sages. Do not use your power to oppress others. Do not become attached to lust and physical beauty.

“Do not delight in killing living beings. Do not drink until you are intoxicated and lose control. Do not kill living beings or make offerings to evil spirits. Do not set fire to open country, mountains, or forests.”

Do not criticize your teachers or elders, covet wealth, or discuss other people’s private affairs.

The Twenty-Seven Precepts of the Old Lord

Cultivate Wuwei (non-action), following nature without imposing needless action; gentleness and yielding; and “keeping to the feminine,” maintaining a soft, quiet, and humble disposition. Do not rush ahead or act recklessly. These are the three highest forms of cultivation.

Cultivate namelessness, seeking no fame; purity and stillness; and goodness. These are the three middle forms of cultivation.

Cultivate loyalty and filial piety, contentment, and deference. These are the three lowest forms of cultivation.

These nine forms of cultivation are arranged in two parts and eighty-one chapters, together forming the “Dwelling of the Dao,” the place where practitioners settle themselves and establish their path. All should follow them, whether noble or humble. Those who fulfill all nine may become immortals; those who fulfill six may attain longevity; those who fulfill three may prolong their lives and enjoy good health.

The nine highest precepts are: Do not dissipate your spirit; do not eat flesh or blood; do not become infatuated with beauty; do not damage the auspicious Qi of the ruler or state; do not covet wealth and treasure; do not forget the Dao; do not act recklessly; do not use elaborate names and forms, concerned only with details, to make a display of the Great Dao; do not kill living things or covet fame and rank.

The nine middle precepts are: Do not become absorbed in pleasures of the ears, eyes, nose, or mouth; always be humble and courteous; attend carefully and conscientiously to every matter, without carelessness or neglect; do not study strange and heterodox writings; do not covet fine food and clothing to nourish the body; do not pursue a reputation single-mindedly; do not covet high rank and distinction or force your way to them; do not be rash or flighty; do not be arrogant or self-satisfied.

The nine lowest precepts are: Do not argue with others over right and wrong, gain and loss; avoid disputes. Do not do evil; do not despise poverty and low status or force your way toward wealth and rank; do not impose excessive prohibitions and taboos; do not presume to claim the revered titles of sages; do not act with domineering force; do not pray to or sacrifice to ghosts and spirits; do not assume you are always right; do not delight in warfare.

These twenty-seven precepts are arranged in two parts and together form the “Depths of the Dao.” All should follow them alike, whether noble or humble. Those who keep all the highest precepts may become immortals; those who keep eighteen may attain longevity; those who keep nine may prolong their lives, enjoy good health, and avoid an untimely death.

Volume 39, “Section on Expounding the Precepts,” Part Two

The Old Lord’s Discourse on the One Hundred and Eighty Precepts (with Preface)

In the final years of the Zhou dynasty, during the reign of King Nan, the Way of Great Peace and the teachings of Great Clarity began to spread. The Venerable Lord came to Langya and transmitted the Dao to Lord Gan. After receiving the Dao teachings, Lord Gan attained the Dao and was honored as a Perfected One. The Venerable Lord also gave him the 170 volumes of the Scripture of Great Peace and the ten sections of the Jiazi.

Later, Lord Bo became seriously ill and studied the Dao teachings with Lord Gan to protect himself from illness. After recovering, he too attained the Dao and was honored as a Perfected One. Today, there is a magnolia tree in Langya, said to mark the place where Lords Gan and Bo practiced and cultivated the Dao teachings.

During the reign of King You, the Venerable Lord instructed Hu Huan to travel to Hanzhong. On the way, he passed through Langya, where Lord Gan was able to meet him. The Venerable Lord said to Lord Gan, “I once transmitted the Dao teachings to you so that you could help others and save lives, keeping all the people in your heart. I also appointed male and female libationers—Daoist officials responsible for teaching and leading affairs—to educate the people widely, and assigned disciples to communicate the will of Heaven above and move the deities of the earth below, thereby winning the favor of the ruler.

“Recently, however, though I am thousands upon thousands of miles away, I have seen these male and female libationers use my reputation to pursue wealth and sexual pleasure, and act recklessly on their own authority. They argue among themselves over right and wrong, each claiming that their own intentions are upright and that the others do not follow the true Dao. They covet offerings and want people to flatter them; they despise their fellow practitioners and envy the worthy. Arrogant and overbearing, they keep people from following anyone else, allowing them to come only to obey them. They proclaim that their own Dao is the most correct and that others’ Dao is false. None of this is right, so I have come expressly to tell you.”

Gan Ji knocked his head to the ground, bowed twice, and prostrated himself, striking his head against the ground a hundred times. He repeatedly assented, saying, “Most High, from this day on, I do not know how to handle these matters. The male and female libationers have committed such grave offenses, yet they still cling to life, sheltered by the Dao and able to cultivate the Dao and become immortals. Even when their lives end, they will not suffer imprisonment in the Ninefold Underworld. And it is not only the libationers who are affected, but all the people. The people do not understand the laws and standards; when the libationers are guilty, the fault truly lies with me as well. I ask only that the Most High forgive my past errors and appoint me to do good and make amends in the future. I, Gan Ji, deserve death ten thousand times over.”

The Venerable Lord said, “Just sit calmly and put your mind at ease. I am concerned about the Great Dao…”

In this age of decline, the people suffer calamities and lose their lives. I practice in order to build up good De for the future. Your servant Gan Ji deserves death a thousand times over, deserves death a thousand times over. The Old Lord said, “First settle your mind and sit down. I fear that the Great Dao…”

In this age of decline, the people suffer calamities and lose their lives. That a small number of libationers—Daoist leaders who oversee religious affairs and guide their followers—should fall into the Ninefold Darkness, the deep and shadowy underworld, after death is not in itself cause for grief. I feel compassion only for the people’s suffering. Listen carefully, take these words to heart, and leave them as a standard for later generations. Instruct both male and female libationers to correct their past conduct and do good from this day forward.

The Old Lord said, “Even if people live for ten thousand years, what difference is there between them and withered trees or rotting stones if they do not uphold the precepts? It is better to live for only one day and be a person who keeps the precepts and preserves De. After death, such a person may ascend to the Celestial Bureaucracy or become an immortal through corpse liberation—the Daoist practice of shedding the physical body and attaining the Dao. If people die burdened by grave offenses, this does not benefit their hun and shen; it only brings suffering upon them. Libationers must understand and put this into practice.”

He continued, “All you libationers, listen closely: no one among the people under Heaven can endure forever. People are born and die; all things come into being and fall apart. The sun rises and must eventually set; the moon waxes full and then wanes. From ancient times until now, who has lived forever? Only the Dao and De endure. This day, this very moment, is an opportunity to do good. All you worthy ones, Masters Jia, and disciples should also do good. The myriad spirits are gathered, and the officials and troops have all arrived. Now, for the sake of you worthy ones and out of compassion for the people’s lives, I transmit prohibitions and essential rules to Master Jia. First read the precepts three times, then proclaim their text.”

First precept: Do not keep an excessive number of servants and concubines.

Second precept: Do not have illicit relations with another person’s wife.

Third precept: Do not steal another person’s possessions.

Fourth precept: Do not kill or harm any living being.

Fifth precept: …

The scripture then repeats the instruction to “read the precepts three times, then proclaim their text,” and lists the first three precepts again: do not keep an excessive number of servants and concubines; do not have illicit relations with another person’s wife; do not steal another person’s possessions.

The fourth precept: Do not kill any living being.

The fifth precept: Do not take what belongs to others without permission, even if it is worth only one coin.

The sixth precept: Do not carelessly burn or damage what belongs to others, even if it is worth only one coin.

The seventh precept: Do not throw food into the fire.

The eighth precept: Do not raise pigs or sheep.

The ninth precept: Do not obtain another person’s money or other possessions by improper means.

The tenth precept: Do not eat garlic or the “five pungent foods,” which in Daoist fasting and purification usually refers to strongly scented, spicy vegetables.

The eleventh precept: Do not write carelessly or illegibly to others.

The twelfth precept: Do not write to or send messages to others too frequently.

The thirteenth precept: Do not use drugs to induce an abortion.

The fourteenth precept: Do not set fire to fields or forests.

The fifteenth precept: Do not eat or drink from gold or silver vessels.

The sixteenth precept: Do not inquire into military and state affairs, or divine good or ill fortune.

The seventeenth precept: Do not casually associate with soldiers or thieves.

The eighteenth precept: Do not cut down trees without cause.

The nineteenth precept: Do not pick flowers or plants without cause.

The twentieth precept: Do not frequently approach the Son of Heaven or officials, or casually become related to them by marriage.

The twenty-first precept: Do not look down on your disciples or show them improper favoritism, lest you disrupt the right path.

The twenty-second precept: Do not covet or hoard wealth.

The twenty-third precept: Do not speak in flowery but empty terms, sow discord, or envy others.

The twenty-fourth precept: Do not drink alcohol or eat meat.

The twenty-fifth precept: Do not amass great quantities of wealth or bully and look down on the lonely, suffering, and poor.

The twenty-sixth precept: Do not eat alone.

The twenty-seventh precept: Do not trade in enslaved men or women.

The twenty-eighth precept: Do not ruin another person’s marriage.

The twenty-ninth precept: Do not speak of other people’s strengths or weaknesses in a way that breeds mutual dislike and resentment.

The thirtieth precept: Do not study singing, dancing, or music on your own.

The thirty-first precept: Do not speak of other people’s misdeeds or indulge in baseless suspicion and distrust.

The Thirty-Second Precept: Do not discuss other people’s private affairs.

The Thirty-Third Precept: Do not comment on the background, experiences, or conduct of other people’s parents.

The Thirty-Fourth Precept: Do not praise someone to their face, then privately speak of their faults behind their back.

The Thirty-Fifth Precept: Do not use filthy things to torment or mock others.

The Thirty-Sixth Precept: Do not put poison into pools, ponds, rivers, or the sea.

The Thirty-Seventh Precept: Do not show affection only to your own clan while distancing yourself from others.

The Thirty-Eighth Precept: Do not slight or shun another person’s elders.

The Thirty-Ninth Precept: Do not take your own life.

The Fortieth Precept: Do not urge others to kill.

The Forty-First Precept: Do not break up another person’s family.

The Forty-Second Precept: Do not kill out of resentment.

The Forty-Third Precept: Do not write letters falsely accusing or framing others.

The Forty-Fourth Precept: Do not act solely according to your own wishes in every matter.

The Forty-Fifth Precept: Do not regard yourself as noble or superior.

The Forty-Sixth Precept: Do not be arrogant or conceited.

The Forty-Seventh Precept: Do not dig up the earth at will or damage mountains and rivers.

The Forty-Eighth Precept: Do not insult others with malicious words.

The Forty-Ninth Precept: Do not tread on cattle, horses, or other domestic animals.

The Fiftieth Precept: Do not cover another person’s eyes.

The Fifty-First Precept: Do not use suppression magic to treat illness. “Suppression” refers to practices that use talismans, spells, or other ritual arts to suppress or drive away disease.

The Fifty-Second Precept: Do not covet or greedily seek another person’s possessions.

The Fifty-Third Precept: Do not drain the water from wetlands.

The Fifty-Fourth Precept: Do not discuss the faults of your teachers or elders.

The fifty-fifth precept requires one not to bathe naked.

The fifty-sixth precept requires one not to slight the scriptures and teachings.

The fifty-seventh precept requires one not to neglect or look down on the elderly.

The fifty-eighth precept requires one not to watch domestic animals mating. “Six domestic animals” refers here to common livestock.

The fifty-ninth precept requires one not to tease or harass others.

The sixtieth precept requires one not to abuse one’s power to oppress others.

The sixty-first precept requires one not to show favoritism toward those close to oneself.

The sixty-second precept requires one not to carry a knife or staff; this precept does not apply to those serving in the military.

The sixty-third precept requires one not to create excessive entrances and partitions in one’s home, causing people to become separated from one another.

The sixty-fourth precept requires one not to give rise to anger and resentment.

The sixty-fifth precept requires one not to insult others by calling them slaves or servants.

The sixty-sixth precept requires one not to urinate while standing.

The sixty-seventh precept requires one not to tattoo marks on the faces of slaves or servants. Facial tattooing was an ancient form of punishment or discipline in which identifying marks were carved or tattooed onto the face.

The sixty-eighth precept requires one not to curse others, wishing them death, defeat, or calamity.

The sixty-ninth precept requires one not to take pleasure in another person’s death or defeat.

The seventieth precept requires one not to indulge in aimless wandering.

The seventy-first precept requires one not to stare at others with eyes wide open.

The seventy-second precept requires one not to stick out one’s tongue toward the sky.

The seventy-third precept requires one not to demand other people’s property without justification.

The seventy-fourth precept requires one not to beg or make demands by force, thereby disturbing the people.

The seventy-fifth precept requires one not to collect property on behalf of worldly people.

The seventy-sixth precept requires one not to conduct rites or serve as a ritual officiant for worldly people.

The seventy-seventh precept requires one not to survey terrain or plan tombs and residences for others, nor to oversee the construction of their homes.

The seventy-eighth precept requires one not to investigate celestial signs or divine the weather. “Star patterns” refers to omens revealed by the stars; this precept chiefly restricts the practice of observing the stars to forecast events and predict the weather.

Precept 79: Do not fish or hunt, or harm or kill any living creature.

Precept 80: Do not commit adultery with another person’s wife or disrupt a marriage.

Precept 81: Do not show favoritism toward your disciples; treat them as you would your own children.

Precept 82: Do not take someone’s lamp or other source of light while they are asleep.

Precept 83: Do not bustle about pursuing profit in worldly affairs. When someone is grieving a death, go to offer condolences with compassion.

Precept 84: Do not form cliques with worldly people to mock or slander one another.

Precept 85: Do not destroy another person’s accomplishments and then claim the credit as your own.

Precept 86: Do not choose comfortable rooms and fine beds for sleeping.

Precept 87: Do not slander others or portray them as wicked.

Precept 88: Do not boast about the quality of your possessions.

Precept 89: Do not deliberately frighten others and leave them fearful and unsettled.

Precept 90: Do not criticize other people’s food or casually judge it as good or bad.

Precept 91: Do not pass along malicious words when carrying messages for others.

Precept 92: Do not use the authorities’ name to falsely accuse or harm the people.

Precept 93: Do not involve yourself in disputes over right and wrong in the human world.

Precept 94: Do not extort another person’s property and then claim that they owe you a favor.

Precept 95: In winter, do not dig up insects that are hibernating or hidden in the ground.

Precept 96: Do not wander about carelessly, rushing around all day without stopping.

Precept 97: Do not climb trees at will to raid bird nests or destroy eggs.

Precept 98: Do not catch birds or animals with cages or nets.

Precept 99: Do not make holes through walls to spy on women in other people’s homes.

Precept 100: This passage is damaged. Only the sense “Do not use filthy things…” can be made out, so the complete precept cannot be determined.

Precepts 97 and 98 appear again later in the original, with the same prohibitions against raiding nests, destroying eggs, and catching birds or animals.

The Ninety-Ninth Prohibition: Do not pierce the walls of other people’s homes to spy on the women in their private quarters.

The One-Hundredth Prohibition: Do not throw filth into wells.

The One-Hundred-and-First Prohibition: Do not block ponds or wells.

The One-Hundred-and-Second Prohibition: Do not deceive or falsely accuse the elderly.

The One-Hundred-and-Third Prohibition: Do not open and read other people’s letters or books without permission.

The One-Hundred-and-Fourth Prohibition: Do not trick or wrongfully accuse good people, causing them to become slaves or servants.

The One-Hundred-and-Fifth Prohibition: Do not greedily amass wealth, lest disaster befall you.

The One-Hundred-and-Sixth Prohibition: Do not cling to the family estate or become obsessed with household possessions.

The One-Hundred-and-Seventh Prohibition: Do not secretly hide or bury objects.

The One-Hundred-and-Eighth Prohibition: Do not damage things that could be exchanged for money.

The One-Hundred-and-Ninth Prohibition: Do not light fires in flat, open areas.

The One-Hundred-and-Tenth Prohibition: Do not leave long spears, brambles, or other dangerous objects on roads.

The One-Hundred-and-Eleventh Prohibition: Do not gossip or stir up discord.

The One-Hundred-and-Twelfth Prohibition: Do not discard or bury written materials in front of a latrine.

The One-Hundred-and-Thirteenth Prohibition: Do not bow or offer worship to other gods or spirits.

The One-Hundred-and-Fourteenth Prohibition: Do not collect large numbers of secular books on divination and fortune, or “Eight Spirits diagrams,” and do not study such subjects.

The One-Hundred-and-Fifteenth Prohibition: Do not take someone engaged in military affairs as a partner.

The One-Hundred-and-Sixteenth Prohibition: Do not urinate or defecate on grass or in water that people drink or use for food.

The One-Hundred-and-Seventeenth Prohibition: Do not become intimate with or fall in love with a widow.

The One-Hundred-and-Eighteenth Prohibition: Do not sacrifice to spirits in hopes of gaining an advantage through luck.

The One-Hundred-and-Nineteenth Prohibition: Do not impose excessive taboos on others.

The One-Hundred-and-Twentieth Prohibition: Do not be excessively particular about taboos yourself.

The One-Hundred-and-Twenty-First Prohibition: Do not bathe carelessly in rivers.

Precept 122: Do not casually put others forward or recommend them in order to receive gifts or bribes in this way.

Precept 123: Do not stand surety or guarantee for others, and do not meddle in the buying and selling of fields, houses, or servants.

Precept 124: Do not associate with households given to sexual misconduct and debauchery.

Precept 125: Do not prepare poisons and store them in vessels.

Precept 126: Do not shout harshly or treat people cruelly. Always keep a gentle and pleasant expression.

Precept 127: Do not write legal complaints for others, take part in lawsuits, or meddle in other people’s legal cases before the authorities.

Precept 128: Do not seek out or read books concerning secret schemes and plots.

Precept 129: Do not whip domestic animals or herds without cause.

Precept 130: Do not ride a horse at a gallop or drive a carriage at full speed without good reason.

Precept 131: Do not handle food by pinching it with your fingers, or leave dishes messy with leftovers or bitten pieces.

Precept 132: Do not disturb birds or beasts.

Precept 133: Do not discuss the quality of another household’s food and drink in front of your disciples.

Precept 134: Do not casually dig into or breach the embankments of ponds and lakes.

Precept 135: Do not boast that you can cure illness. The sick household should first ask for your help; only then may you go to treat them.

Precept 136: Do not travel alone. When going out, travel with someone else.

Precept 137: Do not scheme or act to advance another person’s private interests.

Precept 138: Do not search far and wide for precious treasures.

Precept 139: Do not take women into the mountains. Those traveling together should use separate paths or dwellings, so that proper distinctions are maintained.

Precept One Hundred and Forty: Do not abandon the roots and pursue the branches.

Precept One Hundred and Forty-One: Make offerings regularly and provide for their upkeep. Do not distinguish between what is difficult and what is easy to do.

Precept One Hundred and Forty-Two: Constantly reflect on the way of purity and frugality, and admire those of pure and virtuous character. Eat grass like a deer, drink water like an ox, and live simply.

Precept One Hundred and Forty-Three: Choose your lodging with care. Look over the place first, and do not disturb or offend others.

Precept One Hundred and Forty-Four: Constantly direct your heart and mind toward the Way of Orthodox Unity (Zhengyi), an important Daoist teaching. Do not become absorbed in worldly affairs.

Precept One Hundred and Forty-Five: Set your aspirations high and remain steadfast. Do not mix your practice with conduct that violates the precepts, or betray the teachings and commands of the Three Venerables—the Dao, the scriptures, and the masters.

Precept One Hundred and Forty-Six: Carefully avoid anything that could give rise to suspicion. Do not deceive your parents or mislead your ruler or teachers.

Precept One Hundred and Forty-Seven: Diligently pursue the way of longevity, practicing day and night. Do not grow lax or arrogant.

Precept One Hundred and Forty-Eight: Strive to avoid corrupt surroundings. Do not crave stipends, empty fame, or profit.

Precept One Hundred and Forty-Nine: Diligently cultivate methods such as regulating the breath and abstaining from grains, using breath control and dietary restraint in pursuit of the way of immortality. Do not become attached to food and drink.

Precept One Hundred and Fifty: Keep away from wicked people, but do not abandon or betray your friends.

Precept One Hundred and Fifty-One: When eating, do not begin from one side of the table. Do not sigh or comment aloud on whether the food is good or bad.

Precept One Hundred and Fifty-Two: Whenever you burn incense, pray for the people and for peace throughout the realm. Do not pray only for yourself.

Precept One Hundred and Fifty-Three: When others address you as “Libationer” (a Daoist title for someone responsible for teaching or overseeing affairs), do not be anxious or fearful of what others may think, but do not act rashly either, lest the people judge you unfit for the position.

Precept 154: Whenever you accept food from someone, offer them a blessing. May the host receive good fortune, and may everyone have enough to eat.

Precept 155: On ordinary days, when there is no important reason, do not casually gather large numbers of people in a way that leads to disorderly eating and waste.

Precept 156: On ordinary days, when there is no special reason, do not presume to accept expressions of respect from others.

Precept 157: When you arrive in another place, first seek the counsel of people who are virtuous and kind, and draw near to them and follow their guidance. Do not assume that you are always right.

Precept 158: When you arrive in another place, first learn the local taboos.

Precept 159: When entering someone’s home, first ask how to address the host’s parents and other elders, and learn their personal names, so that you do not cause offense.

Precept 160: When visiting someone’s home, do not expect the host to provide food and drink for you.

Precept 161: Do not travel in the company of women.

Precept 162: Do not speak alone with a man or woman in a dimly lit room.

Precept 163: Do not keep more than three sets of clothing.

Precept 164: Men and women should not eat or drink at the same table, nor should they pass objects directly from hand to hand.

Precept 165: Men and women should not eat or drink at the same table, nor should they pass objects directly from hand to hand.

Precept 165: When calamities occur, such as unusual changes in the seasons or imbalances of flood and drought, do not become resentful or complain, and do not speak about them carelessly.

Precept 166: People in the world are often more evil than good. Do not become distressed by this; those who cultivate the Dao should uphold its teachings.

Precept 167: If someone insults you, simply listen and bear it. Do not answer with insults.

Precept 168: If someone harms or slanders you, simply lay your heart before the Great Dao. Do not worry or fear, lest you deplete your spirit.

Precept 169: If others treat you with ill will, repay them with twice as much kindness. Do not resent or blame them.

Precept 170: If someone gives something to one person but not to another, do not resent them for failing to give anything to you.

The One Hundred Seventy-First Precept: Do not rejoice when others praise your reputation, and do not become angry when they slander you. If you use your reputation as a reason to insult others, you violate the preceding one hundred and seventy precepts. If someone gives something to A but not to B, B should not resent the giver for not giving anything to them.

The One Hundred Seventy-Second Precept: If someone kills birds, beasts, fish, or other creatures for your sake, you must not eat them.

The One Hundred Seventy-Third Precept: Do not eat poultry or livestock that you have seen being killed.

The One Hundred Seventy-Fourth Precept: Do not eat food that smells fishy or gamey, or that has spoiled.

The One Hundred Seventy-Fifth Precept: Do not eat anything of unknown origin.

The One Hundred Seventy-Sixth Precept: Do not kill living beings or domestic animals.

The One Hundred Seventy-Seventh Precept: It is best to eat vegetables. Do not eat food that was once offered to a ruler.

The One Hundred Seventy-Eighth Precept: Do not boast of your abilities. Do not make reckless claims that you revere worthies and sages, can transform others, or that someone else will encounter a true immortal.

The One Hundred Seventy-Ninth Precept: When traveling, if there is no household where you can lodge, spend the night among trees or rocks. Recite the text of the One Hundred and Eighty Precepts, and the spirits will naturally protect you in layers, so that soldiers, bandits, thieves, ghosts, monsters, tigers, and leopards will not dare approach. Do not be even slightly negligent in this.

If you can keep the precepts without transgressing them, or, even if you have transgressed, repent and mend your ways, cast off past faults, cultivate your conduct from now on, and urge others to follow the precepts, you should recite the precepts often, refrain from thoughts of wrongdoing, and save living beings far and wide. Make five prostrations to the divine and perfected beings, thereby fulfilling your pure resolve. Do not turn back.

Laojun said to his disciples: “The worthies, immortals, and sages of old all attained the Dao by following the One Hundred and Eighty Precepts. The Dao is originally formless; it is brought to fruition through a master’s guidance. A master can teach the methods of cultivating the Dao, so you must not slight your master.” The disciples bowed their heads, prostrated twice, received his instruction, and withdrew.

◎Laojun Speaks of the Five Precepts

The Old Lord said, “These five precepts—the five rules one ought to observe—are the foundation of self-cultivation and upright conduct. If a good man or good woman delights in doing good, receives and observes the five precepts throughout life, and never violates them, they are called a pure and faithful believer. They can attain the scriptures and teachings and remain forever established in the true Dao.”

After receiving these teachings, Yin Xi bowed again and asked, “Why are there five?”

The Old Lord said, “The five precepts restrain all manner of wrongdoing, just as Heaven has five essences that govern the myriad spirits, Earth has the Five Phases that transform and nurture the myriad things, and human beings have five organs that govern the spirit. Precepts prevent transgressions. If transgressions are not prevented, the Three Paths of Woe—hell, hungry ghosts, and animals in Buddhist and Daoist writings—will overflow, while the realms of heavenly beings will be emptied. That is why the five precepts were established.” Yin Xi asked, “If the precepts are so important, why do people break them?”

The Old Lord said, “Once a person has received the precepts, they should no longer commit transgressions. But if they have received them and fail to guard against wrongdoing at every turn, the Three Paths of Woe will overflow and the realms of heavenly beings will be emptied. That is why the five precepts were established.” Yin Xi asked again, “If the precepts are so important, why do people break them?”

The Old Lord said, “If a person received the precepts in a previous life, they should be free of transgressions in this life. If they still commit transgressions now, it is because they did not receive the precepts in their previous life, or received them but violated them. Even if they did wrong in the past, they can receive the precepts anew and observe them now; then they may be free of transgression in this life and return to good conduct in the next. Thus, even if they once lost the precepts, receiving and observing them again now means that in the end they need not lose them.”

The scripture also says that in Heaven the five precepts correspond to the five planetary bodies, and that when the heavenly order fails to uphold the precepts, corresponding signs appear. Those who understand the Dao receive it from the Dao and are originally free of transgression. This meaning is found in the scripture.

Laojun said, “The Five Precepts, the five Daoist commandments, correspond in heaven to the Five Planets. When the Way of Heaven violates the precepts, calamities and auspicious signs appear. On earth, they correspond to the Five Sacred Mountains: when the earth’s workings depart from their proper course, the grains cannot ripen. In the arts of divination, they correspond to the Five Phases (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water). When the Five Phases lose their balance, Water and Fire overcome one another, and Metal and Wood injure one another. In governance, they correspond to the Five Emperors. When the Five Emperors fail to uphold the precepts, the fortunes of the state decline and its rulers lose their lives. Within the human body, they correspond to the Five Viscera. When the Five Viscera are out of balance, a person’s temperament becomes wild and disordered.

Laojun also said, “Each of these five precepts governs one domain, yet also affects the others. The precept against killing corresponds to Wood in the east. Wood receives the energy of sprouting and growth, and upholds the nurturing of life. When people kill living beings, their livers suffer. The precept against theft corresponds to Water in the north. Water is the essence of Great Yin and governs concealment and storage. When people steal, their kidneys suffer. The precept against sexual misconduct corresponds to Metal in the west. Metal has the nature of Lesser Yin and symbolizes the need for relations between men and women to be upright and steadfast. When people indulge in sexual misconduct, their lungs are harmed. The precept against alcohol corresponds to Fire in the south. Fire helps all things take form. When people crave alcohol, their hearts are poisoned by it. The precept against false speech corresponds to the virtue of Earth at the center. When people lie, their spleens are harmed. These five virtues support one another; none can be lacking.”

Laojun also said, “If even one of the five precepts is lost, the foundation of life cannot be fulfilled. Therefore, refraining from killing means having no intent to kill; refraining from theft means having no thought of obtaining things improperly; refraining from sexual misconduct means having no lustful thoughts; and refraining from alcohol means not using drink to throw one’s weight around. Observing the precepts also means not speaking falsely and not killing, with no murderous intent in the heart; not stealing, with no crooked thoughts in the heart; not engaging in sexual misconduct, with no lustful thoughts in the heart; not drinking, and not using drink to throw one’s weight around; and not speaking falsely or disclosing what should be kept secret. Only by doing all this can one be said to have perfectly upheld the precepts.”

The Lord Lao said: By abstaining from sexual misconduct and alcohol, one can avoid the five kinds of wrongdoing that arise from them. “Abstaining” means restraining wrongful conduct. When men and women in the world become immersed in sexual misconduct, their families suffer calamity. When those in high positions grow arrogant and those below become violent, they destroy their innate De. When people fight and bring lawsuits after getting drunk, they endanger their lives and bring shame upon themselves. They speak falsely and deceitfully, with no regard for the truth. They steal from their own kin, harming more than just outsiders. They kill living beings merely to nourish their own bodies and appetites.

People like this must bear the consequences of their harmful deeds while alive and remain trapped forever in all manner of suffering. The five kinds of wrongdoing descend upon them together, without end. Even if they are reborn as human beings, they will be born in remote, desolate places, live short lives, or have impaired bodies. Their spouses will be unattractive or unfaithful in conduct. They will be poor, cold, and sleeping outdoors, with no place where they can find security. Even if they possess money, goods, or livestock, others will take them away. No one will believe what they say, and others will not draw near to them. Their minds will be closed and obstructed, and everyone will look down on them.

The Twelve Precepts of the Scripture on Transforming the Hu

The Lord Lao said: Abstain from alcohol, and do not even harbor thoughts of drunkenness. The mingled attractions of sights, sounds, and flavors confuse people and disturb the upright Qi they originally possess.

Abstain from eating meat, and do not harbor thoughts of taking life. All living beings with blood and bodily form are nourished by primordial Qi, the fundamental energy from which all things between Heaven and Earth are formed.

Abstain from verbal abuse, and take care with your words; do not utter curses. To abuse another is to abuse yourself; to curse another is to curse yourself.

Abstain from deceit, and speak truthfully, keeping your words trustworthy and grounded in fact. To deceive another is to deceive yourself; smooth-tongued words lead you to break your vows.

Abstain from theft, and do not take things without permission, even when you see something desirable. Coveting ill-gotten wealth leaves you burdened with guilt, and those who seek profit will harm one another.

Abstain from sexual misconduct, and keep your distance from indulgence in daily life. The bodies of men and women can arouse one another, and this may shorten the lives of their children.

Abstain from stinginess, and do not cling too tightly to what you possess. When prosperous, you should show kindness and help others; miserliness and greed will bring hardship in time.

Abstain from domineering force and cruelty; learn to yield and step back. The forceful are often the first to suffer setbacks, and those who are rigid and refuse to adapt are also likely to be harmed first.

Abstain from excessive looking and listening, and keep your eyes and ears restrained. Looking too far or for too long dissipates Jing and Qi; listening too much and too intensely disorders the Shen.

Abstain from excessive speech, and keep your mouth restrained. Too much talking wastes energy and makes it easy to say things one later regrets.

Be vigilant, and do not give way to anger. Even if anger arises in your heart, do not let it break out. The Five Phases—Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water—restrain and contend with one another, just as the body and mind may come into conflict when they are out of harmony.

Be vigilant, and do not make offerings to false gods or engage in improper rites. Evil spirits may unsettle the mind and spirit, causing people to lose the right path. If you keep right thoughts at all times, the Dao’s Qi will naturally support the body.

Those who practice purification and seek the Dao should observe the Ten Precepts.

First Precept: Do not envy or harm others in your heart, or secretly harbor ill will. Speak with care to avoid wrongdoing, and keep your thoughts grounded in the orthodox teaching.

Second Precept: Be benevolent and do not kill. Take pity on living beings and help them; extend compassion widely and aid all life.

Third Precept: Hold fast to sincerity and yield to others in accordance with what is right. Do not engage in sexual misconduct or theft. Keep good thoughts, curb your own desires, and help others.

Fourth Precept: Do not become absorbed in sexual desire or let your inner life run wild. Remain upright, pure, cautious, and self-disciplined, and keep your conduct free from defilement.

Fifth Precept: Do not speak maliciously or use empty, extravagant words. Be loyal and upright in heart, speech, and action, and avoid faults of speech.

Sixth Precept: Abstain from alcohol, restrain your conduct, and keep your temperament balanced. Do not damage your spirit or commit various kinds of wrongdoing.

Seventh Precept: Do not presume yourself superior to others or compete for fame and honor. Be humble in all things: yield your place and let others succeed.

Eighth Precept: Do not casually criticize the teachings in the scriptures or disparage the classics handed down by the sages. Receive and uphold the teachings with reverence, remaining as devout as if always in the presence of the divine.

Ninth Precept: Do not stir up disputes or confuse right and wrong, and do not casually pass judgment on the four groups of people, including monastics and lay believers. Such conduct will draw the resentment of heavenly beings and other people, and will also damage your own spirit and Qi.

Tenth Precept: In every movement and every deed, act impartially and without selfishness, and keep your mind single. Maintain harmony and peace between the human and spirit realms, and make this way of conduct part of daily life.

An Admonition on the Precepts.

The Sutra of the Sea, Emptiness, and Wisdom says: A man was carrying a lacquered tray as he prepared to cross the sea. A demon thief in the sea demanded the tray. The man thought, “If I give him the tray, I will surely perish in the sea,” and replied, “Even if you kill me, I cannot give you the tray.”

The demon thief said again, “If you cannot give me the whole tray, give me half.” The man still refused. The demon thief then demanded a third, but the man said, “I would rather die with you than hand the tray over.” Later, the demon thief demanded the precious objects the man was carrying. The man thought that he could not give it those treasures either.

The demon thief said, “If you cannot even give me your treasures, then I am hungry and destitute, enduring every kind of hardship. Give me just a little help.” The man thought, “I am about to cross the sea, and I do not yet know how far the journey is or which way to go. If I give you these things, what will I rely on as I cross? If I sink into the sea and die halfway, it will be too late for regret.”

Good men, perfected beings, and youths—terms of address for practitioners—guard their precepts, the rules they must follow in practice, just as the man treasured his lacquered tray and refused to hand it to the demon thief. They should guard these subtle and pure precepts in the same way. But the demon thief said again, “Trust me; I would never deceive you. Just give me the lacquered tray, keep the other trays for yourself, and I guarantee you will reach the far shore safely.”

At that moment, the man reminded himself: “I would rather sink into the sea than destroy this lacquer tray.” The demon bandit said again, “If you will not destroy the lacquer tray, could you destroy the treasure in your hand? Then I will let you reach the other shore safely.” The man still refused. The demon bandit said, “If you will not give up the treasure in your hand, could you part with your pearl? Then I will let you reach the other shore safely.” Again, the man refused to give it up.

The demon bandit thought for a long time, then turned and left. The man continued on his way aboard the lacquer tray and at last reached the other shore. He thought to himself: “The demon bandit obstructed me all along the way, but I held firmly to the lacquer tray and never let it go. That is how I reached the other shore.”

Good man, Sea-Void Treasury of Wisdom (the title used here)! The man’s lacquer tray, the treasure in his hand, his pearl, and the golden bells on his feet were all precious things that needed to be carefully guarded. In the same way, living beings should hold fast to and protect the subtle, pure precepts of Sea-Void with unwavering resolve, just as the man guarded his precious tray.

Scroll Forty: The Section on Speaking of the Precepts, Part Three

Speaking of the Hundred Afflictions

The Lord Lao said: Rather than provide relief after calamity strikes or resolve difficulties after they arise, it is better to guard against them in advance. Rather than treat illness once it has taken hold, it is better to care for oneself and take precautions beforehand. People today often wait until trouble is upon them before thinking of remedies, and until illness breaks out before thinking of medicine. Thus, rulers cannot preserve their states, and those who cultivate themselves cannot preserve their lives.

Therefore, sages seek good fortune and avoid calamity while neither has yet appeared. Calamities often grow through gradual accumulation, and illness too often begins in small ways. People think that doing a little good brings no benefit, so they refuse to do it; they think that making a small mistake is of no consequence, so they refuse to correct it. Without accumulating small acts of good, one cannot attain great De (Virtue/Power); if small evils are not stopped, they will grow into great crimes. Here I have excerpted the main points so that people may understand how various failings arise.

Unsteady changes between joy and anger are a failing. Forgetting what is right and seeking only profit is a failing.

Longing for beauty and damaging one’s virtue is a failing. Fixating one’s thoughts entirely on romantic love is a failing.

Hating another person and wishing them dead is a failing. Indulging greed and concealing one’s faults is a failing.

Slandering others and boasting of oneself is a failing. Changing things on one’s own authority and still believing oneself to be right is a failing.

Speaking carelessly and liking to talk too much is a failing. Seeking only momentary pleasure and following wrongful conduct is a failing.

Relying on one’s intelligence to look down on others is a failing. Using one’s power to act as one pleases is a failing.

Blaming others while believing oneself to be right is a failing. Bullying and slighting the lonely and weak is a failing.

Using strength to overpower others is a failing. Using one’s authority to threaten others is a failing.

Always trying to outdo others in speech is a failing. Borrowing something without intending to repay it is a failing.

Being in the wrong yet insisting one is right is a failing. Harming others in the name of justice is a failing.

Despising others while congratulating oneself is a failing. Letting joy and anger show on one’s face and using them to boast of oneself is a failing.

Being ignorant yet believing oneself wise and capable is a failing. Taking all the credit for oneself is a failing.

To regard others with bias because of their fame or status is a kind of sickness. To resent others when one is tired from work is also a kind of sickness.

To take what is false for what is true is a kind of sickness; to enjoy talking about other people’s faults is also a kind of sickness.

To treat others arrogantly because one is wealthy is a kind of sickness; to look down on others because one holds an honored position is also a kind of sickness.

To be poor oneself yet envy the rich is a kind of sickness; to hold a low position oneself yet mock those of high standing is also a kind of sickness.

To speak ill of others to ingratiate oneself with people is a kind of sickness; to parade one’s own De is also a kind of sickness.

To undermine another person’s achievements is a kind of sickness; to let private interests disrupt public affairs is also a kind of sickness.

To enjoy concealing one’s true intentions is a kind of sickness; to put others in danger while seeking safety for oneself is also a kind of sickness.

To envy others in secret is a kind of sickness; to stir up disputes and act against reason is also a kind of sickness.

To harbor much resentment and show little care for others is a kind of sickness; to keep judging what others do right and wrong is also a kind of sickness.

To shift responsibility onto others is a kind of sickness. “Wen ju gou xi” is a kind of sickness, though the specific conduct meant by this phrase is difficult to establish. To make an issue of other people’s strengths and weaknesses is a kind of sickness; to borrow another person’s name to make oneself seem trustworthy is also a kind of sickness.

To help others while expecting a reward is a kind of sickness; to refuse to give oneself yet blame others is also a kind of sickness.

To regret having given something to others is a kind of sickness; to keep nursing resentment and arguing is also a kind of sickness.

To curse insects and livestock is a kind of sickness; to harm people with gu magic or yansheng practices—sorcery meant to curse or suppress others—is also a kind of sickness.

To disparage people of talent is a kind of sickness; to hate those who surpass oneself is also a kind of sickness.

To harm people with poison is a kind of sickness; to treat people unfairly and unequally is also a kind of sickness.

To boast and throw one’s weight around on the strength of one’s abilities is a kind of sickness; to keep recalling other people’s past faults is also a kind of sickness.

To refuse advice and guidance is a kind of sickness; to feel inwardly distant from those close to oneself while acting outwardly intimate with others is also a kind of sickness.

To write letters falsely accusing and defaming others is a kind of sickness; to make fun of people with intellectual disabilities is also a kind of sickness.

To act in a fussy, harsh, careless, and impetuous manner is a kind of sickness; to pluck at or strike others without cause is also a kind of sickness.

To keep assuming one is right and deciding for oneself what is right and wrong is a kind of sickness; to be deeply suspicious and trust few people is also a kind of sickness.

To mock people who are mad or mentally disturbed is a kind of sickness; to squat or sit in a disrespectful manner is also a kind of sickness.

To use foul and vicious language is a kind of sickness; to slight the elderly and the young is also a kind of sickness.

Treating others as adversaries and adopting a harsh, ugly attitude is a sickness. Being perverse and stubborn, and thinking oneself always right, is a sickness. Lacking compassion toward others is a sickness. Squatting or crouching in an uncultivated, discourteous manner is a sickness.

Using vulgar, malicious language is a sickness. Showing contempt for the old and the young is a sickness.

Treating others as adversaries and behaving harshly is a sickness. Being perverse and stubborn, and thinking oneself always right, is a sickness.

Enjoying unrestrained laughter and boisterous joking is a sickness. Enjoying imprisoning or restricting others is a sickness.

Being crafty and deceitful, and flattering others, is a sickness. Greedily seeking gain and harboring deceitful intentions is a sickness.

Stirring up trouble between people and speaking without keeping one’s word is a sickness. Singing loudly under the influence of alcohol and behaving without restraint is a sickness.

Cursing the wind and rain is a sickness. Speaking maliciously and delighting in killing is a sickness.

Urging others to have abortions is a sickness. Interfering arbitrarily in other people’s affairs is a sickness.

Peering at others through holes is a sickness. Borrowing something without intending to return it is a sickness.

Evading repayment after borrowing money, or stealing, is a sickness. Acting one way to someone’s face and another behind their back, and changing one’s story, is a sickness.

Enjoying defiance and resistance, and behaving perversely, is a sickness. Persisting in tormenting others with pranks is a sickness.

Deliberately confusing or misleading others is a sickness. Taking things from birds’ nests or destroying their eggs is a sickness.

Cutting open animals’ bellies and mutilating their bodies is a sickness. Causing floods or fires, or using water or fire to harm living beings, is a sickness.

Mocking people who are blind, deaf, or unable to speak is a sickness. Urging others to marry is a sickness.

Urging others to strike people is a sickness. Urging others to do evil is a sickness.

Harboring harmful intentions and abandoning those one loves is a sickness. Spreading calamity and promoting falsehoods is a sickness.

Seeing something one could obtain and wanting to claim it is a sickness. Forcibly taking what belongs to others is a sickness.

Laozi said: If you constantly think about removing these many bad habits, you will not bring calamity or trouble upon yourself. Illness and suffering will naturally recede, and you will be able to help yourself through hardship and bring blessings to your descendants.

Esteem the Hundred Remedies

Laozi said: The sages of ancient times never failed to do a good deed because it was small, nor failed to correct an evil act because it was slight. Putting this into practice is like taking medicine: it can heal both body and mind. The so-called “hundred remedies” include:

Having a gentle constitution and a mild temperament is a remedy. Treating others generously and keeping a calm mind is a remedy.

Behaving and conducting oneself with proper decorum is a remedy. Keeping a measured and regular daily routine is a remedy.

Drawing close to people of De and keeping away from sensual indulgence is one remedy; putting an end to greed is another.

Sharing benefits with others and explaining the reasoning behind it is one remedy; not taking what does not belong to you is another.

Even when you dislike someone, still treating them with kindness is one remedy; gladly helping one another and looking out for each other is another.

Wishing others good fortune is one remedy; helping them avoid disaster and get through hardship is another.

Teaching those who are ignorant and unenlightened is one remedy; discouraging wrongdoing and setting disorder right is another.

Admonishing the young and inexperienced is one remedy; guiding those who are confused and have made mistakes is another.

Supporting and caring for the old and frail is one remedy; doing all you can to help others is another.

Giving aid to the poor and supporting widows is one remedy; showing compassion to those in poverty and rescuing people in distress is another.

Remaining respectful toward the worthy when you hold high office is one remedy; speaking gently and modestly is another.

Treating others with respect and without airs is one remedy; repaying debts from the past is another.

Showing consideration and comfort to those who are sincere and trustworthy is one remedy; speaking truthfully and conducting yourself with uprightness and sincerity is another.

Taking responsibility for what is right and leaving the twists and difficulties to yourself is one remedy; not arguing endlessly over who is right or wrong is another.

When someone offends you, not looking down on them is one remedy; when you suffer humiliation, not holding resentment is another.

Making others’ good deeds known while keeping their failings private is one remedy; letting others have the good reputation and keeping the bad reputation for yourself is another.

Giving more to others and taking less for yourself is one remedy; praising people of virtue and kindness is another.

When you encounter someone virtuous, reflecting on yourself is one remedy; not boasting or showing off is another.

Giving credit to others and taking the hard work upon yourself is one remedy; not boasting about your own good deeds is another.

Not concealing another person’s accomplishments is one remedy; not complaining after hard work is another.

Being honest at heart and generous in your conduct is one remedy; covering up failings that others do not wish to make public is another.

Even when you are well off, being willing to lend to or give alms to those who ask for help is one remedy; recommending and supporting people who surpass you is another.

Being content with a simple life and not complaining is one medicine; avoiding pride and self-importance is another.

Gladly giving others credit for their achievements, without envy or concealing their good deeds, is one medicine; not eagerly prying into their private affairs is another.

When things go well or badly, first examining oneself is one medicine; doing good in secret and showing kindness to others is another.

Not blaming others for one’s circumstances in life is one medicine; not speaking carelessly about other people is another.

Enjoying kind and gentle speech is one medicine; when misfortune or illness strikes, first reflecting on one’s own faults is another.

When suffering, not shifting the blame onto others is one medicine; giving to others without expecting anything in return is another.

Not cursing livestock is one medicine; offering others blessings and well-wishes is another.

Maintaining a calm, even-minded disposition is one medicine; keeping the mind quiet and the will firm is another.

Not holding on to past resentments is one medicine; correcting what is crooked and helping set bad conduct right is another.

Heeding advice and accepting instruction is one medicine; not interfering carelessly in other people’s affairs is another.

Being able to restrain anger is one medicine; dispelling confused and restless thoughts is another.

Respecting and caring for the elderly is one medicine; maintaining a respectful, serious manner even behind closed doors is another.

Cultivating filial devotion to one’s parents and affection for one’s siblings at home is one medicine; covering for others’ faults and making their good deeds known is another.

Remaining honest and keeping within proper bounds is one medicine; gladly welcoming others with food and drink is another.

Helping others and fulfilling one’s duties with loyalty is one medicine; assisting the sun and moon during eclipses is another. Here, “assisting the sun and moon during eclipses” refers to the ancient ritual of warding off harm during a solar or lunar eclipse.

Avoiding suspicion and keeping away from situations that could easily give rise to misunderstanding is one medicine; being detached and tranquil, with an open and generous heart, is another.

Revering the writings of sages and worthies is one medicine; visualizing the gods and keeping the Great Dao in one’s thoughts is another.

Spreading the sages’ teachings is one medicine; continuing to build merit and do good without weariness is another.

Revering Heaven and Earth is one medicine; paying homage to the sun, moon, stars, and the other “Three Lights” is another.

Being detached and having few desires is one medicine; being kind-hearted and agreeable, humble, and yielding is another.

Cherishing life and detesting killing is one medicine; not amassing great quantities of wealth is another.

Refraining from violating taboos is one remedy; being honest and loyal is one remedy; not coveting wealth or possessions is one remedy; not burning forests, hills, grasses, or trees is one remedy; helping others carry their goods when traveling by cart is one remedy; offering upright remonstrance with loyalty and sincerity is one remedy; taking joy in seeing others act with virtue is one remedy; helping the poor is one remedy; carrying a burden for an elderly person is one remedy; casting off personal attachments and covetous desires is one remedy; showing compassion and pity toward others is one remedy; delighting in praising others’ strengths is one remedy; giving alms when wealthy is one remedy; and showing generosity when in a high position is one remedy.

The Old Lord said, “These are a hundred remedies. People fall ill because of their errors and evil deeds. Their faults are simply concealed in secret and remain unknown, so they come to fruition as illness. Illness may also arise from diet, cold winds, warm and hot Qi, and other causes. When people go against the laws of the divine, they bring illness upon themselves.”

When people go against the divine, their hun and po souls disperse and can no longer dwell securely in the body. The body grows weak, and Jing and Qi can no longer be held firm, allowing harmful winds and cold to enter through the weakness. Therefore, even in secluded darkness, sages dare not do what is improper; even when enjoying honor and emoluments, they dare not seek private gain. They dress according to the body’s needs and take food according to their station. Even when wealthy and noble, they do not indulge their desires; even when poor and lowly, they do nothing beyond their proper bounds. Thus they do no harm outwardly and suffer little illness inwardly. How could they fail to cultivate themselves with care?

Ten Precepts for Beginners

The Celestial Perfected One (the revered deity or immortal who transmits the precepts) said, “Those who leave home and transcend worldly life have all formed good affinities in former lives, enabling them to rise above ordinary people. If they remain consistently careful and devote themselves to cultivation, blessings will extend to seven generations of their ancestors, and their entire family will share in good fortune. Just as a nine-tiered terrace is built basketful by basketful of earth, and a journey of a thousand li begins with the first step, so too, when one’s merit is complete and one’s virtue established, one may ascend to Heaven in broad daylight. Therefore, when receiving initiation into the Dao, one should accept the precepts for beginners. There are ten such precepts, and they should be upheld.”

First Precept: Do not secretly plot sinister schemes, nor harm living beings for your own gain. Instead, do good in secret and offer aid widely to living beings.

Second, when one is being taught and guided into the Dao, one should accept the “Preliminary Novice Precepts,” the precepts given to those just entering the Dao. There are ten in all, and each should be received and observed.

First Precept: Do not secretly plot against others or harm living beings to seek personal gain. Instead, quietly do good and find many ways to aid living beings.

Second Precept: Do not kill living creatures to satisfy the appetite. Instead, hold compassion in your heart and extend kindness even to insects.

Third Precept: Do not engage in sexual misconduct or damage your true nature, and do not profane or slight the numinous Qi. Instead, uphold chastity and uprightness, keeping your conduct free from transgression.

Fourth Precept: Do not ruin another person’s livelihood or divide family members from one another. Instead, help people through the principles of the Dao, bringing harmony and peace to the nine clans—one’s kin within the same lineage.

Fifth Precept: Do not slander the worthy and virtuous, or display your talents to raise yourself above others. Instead, praise the virtues and good deeds of others, and do not boast of your own achievements.

Sixth Precept: Do not drink to excess or eat meat in violation of the prohibitions. Instead, bring balance to body, mind, and temperament, and devote yourself to stillness and emptiness.

Seventh Precept: Do not pursue wealth without restraint or hoard possessions without sharing them. Instead, live frugally and support and show compassion for those in poverty.

Eighth Precept: Do not associate with people of poor character or live in an unclean and disorderly place. Instead, learn from those who surpass you, and live and associate in places of stillness and purity.

Ninth Precept: Do not be disloyal or unfilial toward your ruler and family, nor lack benevolence or trustworthiness. Instead, serve your ruler and family with wholehearted loyalty, and treat all things with sincerity.

Tenth Precept: Do not speak carelessly or laugh and joke without restraint, and do not act insincerely. Instead, conduct yourself with solemnity, speak sparingly, and make the cultivation of virtue your foremost concern.

If you can observe these ten precepts throughout your life without falling short in any of them, you will receive the protection of the Heavenly Dao and the aid of the spirits, and calamities and misfortunes will not befall you. If you observe them in the morning but abandon them by evening, treating the true Dharma of the Orthodox Dao with contempt and revealing it carelessly, you will bring misfortune upon yourself; do not blame the exalted spirits. All who have just entered the Dao should encourage themselves to observe these precepts.

Pure Precepts

After receiving the precepts—the rules for Daoist practice—or finishing a scripture, one must observe a fast at midnight on the last day of each month. Fasting is meant to clear the mind and uphold the precepts. After fasting, one may recite the text throughout the night a hundred times, a thousand times, or as often as one wishes; if that is not possible, one should recite it at least nine times. Later, even when traveling or going about one’s affairs during a period of ritual purity, one may recite it without fasting beforehand each time. In reciting, one should seek guidance from one’s teachers, exchange views with fellow practitioners, and put the teachings into practice after reflection. There is no need to speak loudly: it is enough to understand the text inwardly and recite it aloud. Do not recite it aloud among other people. Only through such diligent practice may one hope to reach the sacred beings of the highest rank.

The Lower Volume of the Zhengyi Fawen says: Anyone who follows the Zhengyi tradition should first receive protective talismans and the Three Precepts, then the Five Precepts and Eight Precepts, and only afterward receive a register—that is, be entered into the Daoist community’s ritual register and granted the corresponding divine office and title. Those who have not previously received the precepts may also make them up in order after receiving the register. They should learn to recite the precept texts fluently, keep them in mind, and act in accordance with them. They must not misremember or forget them, so that they do not violate the precepts.

Before receiving a register, one is not qualified to summon the spirits. Afterward, one may call upon them whether moving about or at rest. If one does not observe the precepts, the spirits will not answer the summons; the guardian officials and soldiers will keep their distance from anyone who breaks them. The scripture goes on to say that violators will be investigated by examiners in the Celestial Bureau, bringing illness and all manner of misfortune. Public and private affairs may go badly, and endeavors may fail. To accumulate merit, turn from darkness toward the light, do good and avert calamity, and seek good fortune while avoiding harm, one must keep the precepts; only then will the spirits protect them.

The precepts also have dedicated texts, which should be studied carefully. If someone does not understand them, forgets or mistakes them, or knowingly violates them—or breaks them under pressure from an elder or out of fear of death—this is counted as incurring fault and damaging the precepts. They should repent, confess their wrongdoing, and reform.

Those who violate the precepts often turn away from the orthodox Dao and draw near to heterodox teachings. They mix Buddhist belief with worldly concerns and cannot remain single-minded, harboring divided intentions. They are deluded and hesitant, entangled in confusion and obstruction. If, after their teacher has admonished them three times, they can mend their ways, devote themselves steadfastly to the orthodox Dao, and remain unwavering, then their summons to the spirits will be effective. If they still do not repent after three admonitions, they are considered to have betrayed the Daoist community and defied their teacher. Under Daoist law, their register should be revoked. If they simply turn instead to Buddhism or worldly affairs, their teacher, out of compassion and pity, will pursue no further punishment. If they act out of resentment and join another tradition, their teacher will still admonish them three times, hoping they will reform and devote themselves wholeheartedly to the Dao.

When dealing with these matters, the Master may forgive out of compassion and choose not to pursue punishment. But if a person instead grows resentful toward others, abandons the root and pursues the peripheral, then although they claim to practice the Daoist teachings, they are in fact violating the Orthodox Precepts. The divine officials cannot accept such a person. Only after a long period of repentance, renewed meritorious deeds, and a request for reinstatement may they be permitted to resume cultivation according to the Dao and advance.

◎ Precepts of Lady Qing of the Central Palace in the Great Mystery Capital (a chapter on precepts)

Those who cultivate the Shangqing tradition must not relieve themselves facing north or toward the direction of their birth destiny. Doing so offends Yuchen, a revered deity of Shangqing, and profanes the Original Perfect Ones, the true spirits honored in Daoist cultivation. Five violations bar a person from becoming an immortal; ten bring punishment from the Left Office, the divine bureau that investigates offenses. After death, the offender will fall into the Three Paths of Suffering in hell. Even after undergoing ten thousand kalpas and being reborn, they will not be born human.

Those who cultivate the highest Daoist methods, receive the Three Heavens’ Orthodox Teachings and the precepts of the Four Luminaries, and wear the Perfect Writings—Daoist talismans or scriptures—move amid the radiance of the sun, moon, and stars. Even when sleeping or resting, they should cover their heads. They must wear a headcloth or cap and must never undress and expose their bodies. Otherwise, they show disrespect to the body’s spirits and disgrace the Perfect Writings, driving the true spirits away and leaving only an empty shell. Three violations bar a person from becoming an immortal; five cause them to fall into hell after death. Even after undergoing ten thousand kalpas and being reborn, they will not be born human.

Those who cultivate the highest Daoist methods and receive the Three Heavens’ Orthodox Teachings and the precepts of the Four Luminaries must not enter unclean places without authorization, nor weep in grief or attend funerals. Five violations will diminish their cultivation’s merit and sever their path to immortality; ten cause them to fall into hell after death. Even after undergoing ten thousand kalpas and being reborn, they will not be born human.

◎ Precepts of the Scripture of the Forty-Four Methods of the Supreme One’s Yellow Register

Whenever Daoist priests visualize the highest methods or cultivate the practices of the Great One, they must avoid seeing corpses or bloodied things. If they cannot avoid seeing them, they should take one zhu of cinnabar, scatter it into water, then use the water to wash their eyes, rinse their mouths, and wash their hands and feet, while softly reciting:

“May the Supreme Way of the Three Origins protect my body; may the Great One guard my form. May the Lord of Fate and the Five Spirits bring peace to my heart. May blood and corpses disperse and vanish, and baleful impurity sink away. May the seven fluids course through me, and the five organs flourish. May I transcend the world and become an immortal, preserving body and mind in peace and purity for long ages.”

The verse means: May the Supreme Way of the Three Origins protect the body, and the Great One guard its form; may the Lord of Fate and the Five Spirits bring peace to the heart. May blood and corpse pollution disperse, and baleful impurity sink and disappear. May the vital essences within the body become abundant and the five organs grow vibrant with life, so that I may transcend the world and become an immortal, preserving body and mind in peace and purity for a long time.

Foul and turbid Qi sinks and disperses; the seven fluids—the body’s seven kinds of bodily fluids—circulate and nourish it, and the Five Viscera bring forth their essence. This enables me to transcend the ordinary and become an immortal, with a body that endures, at peace and blessed with good fortune.

Those who study the Daoist methods of longevity must not speak of death. Speaking of death alters the life-giving Qi and prevents one from dwelling peacefully in one’s usual place. The breath then circulates irregularly, and the hun-soul and Shen-spirit disperse. As a result, baleful Qi and wandering corpses—disease-causing influences in Daoist belief—move through the body’s openings. This is a sign that illness is worsening and death is near.

The Jing of the Regulations for the True One says: Those who accumulate merit must not violate taboos. They should bring themselves into harmony with the spirits dwelling in the body, and must not let the two oppose or harm one another. If they do, disaster will follow. To avert disaster, one must not act according to one’s birth year and the year’s personal fortune; doing so will harm oneself.

Precepts from the Immortals’ Records in the Golden Book

Those who study the Way of immortality should not bend forward facing north or gaze up at the sun, moon, and stars. They should not comb their hair or take off their clothes facing north, nor spit or curse in that direction; doing so violates and damages “Wang.” “Po” refers to the earthly branch beneath the year’s ruling star, while “Wang” refers to the place where the ruling Qi resides. Do not grow angry at the sun, moon, or stars. Do not carry out punishments on the Eight Seasonal Nodes—Beginning of Spring, Spring Equinox, Beginning of Summer, Summer Solstice, Beginning of Autumn, Autumn Equinox, Beginning of Winter, and Winter Solstice. Do not become angry on the first day of any month. Do not eat the tender shoots of the hundred herbs on the third day of the third month. Do not cut down herbs or trees on the eighth day of the fourth month. Do not encounter anything stained with blood on the fifth day of the fifth month. Do not disturb the earth on the sixth day of the sixth month. Do not become angry on the first day of any month. Do not eat the tender shoots of the hundred herbs on the third day of the third month. Do not cut down herbs or trees on the eighth day of the fourth month. Do not encounter anything stained with blood on the fifth day of the fifth month…