《洞玄靈寶天尊說十戒經》
About this page. The original text of 《洞玄靈寶天尊說十戒經》 (Dongxuan 洞玄部, 1 volume) is shown in Classical Chinese as transmitted in the Kanripo (Kyoto University) edition. An English interpretation of the 1 passages on this page accompanies it: select a passage or press “Interpretation” to show it. All texts in English
Reading modes explained
- Horizontal: ordinary left-to-right reading; the interpretation can be shown.
- Scroll: vertical text running right to left; the wheel scrolls sideways (no interpretation in this mode).
- Wheel: columns of vertical text turn around a drum; use the wheel, drag or arrow keys, or auto-play.
- Pages: about 200 characters per page; use the buttons, swipe or arrow keys.
Source textInterpretation
Vol. 1
The Dongxuan Lingbao Scripture on the Ten Precepts as Expounded by the Celestial Worthy (A Simplified Interpretation):
The Celestial Worthy Lingbao (one of the Three Pure Ones in Daoism) reveals that devoted men and women who aspire to seek the Dao and enter the gate of practice, by accepting the Ten Precepts and Fourteen Guidelines for Self-Cultivation, may become pure disciples of the Great Dao. With unwavering diligence and perseverance, they can transcend the Three Realms (the Realm of Desire, the Realm of Form, and the Formless Realm) and attain the status of perfected beings in the Shangqing (Highest Clarity) celestial realm.
[The Ten Precepts]:
1. Do not kill living beings; always maintain a compassionate heart.
2. Do not entertain evil thoughts or delusions.
3. Do not acquire wealth through unrighteous means.
4. Do not oppress the virtuous or invert right and wrong.
5. Do not indulge in drunkenness; always preserve pure conduct.
6. Live in harmony with clan members and relatives.
7. Rejoice in and praise the good deeds of others.
8. Offer help and blessings to those in distress.
9. Do not harbor thoughts of revenge when wronged.
10. Do not covet what you do not possess.
[The Fourteen Guidelines for Self-Cultivation]:
In interactions with people of different statuses, maintain proper conduct:
- To rulers, offer strategies that benefit the state.
- To fathers, encourage kindness toward their children.
- To teachers, advise care for their students.
- To ministers, instruct loyalty to the ruler.
- To elder brothers, urge fraternal love.
- To children, teach filial piety.
- To friends, emphasize trust and righteousness.
- To husbands, encourage domestic harmony.
- To wives, advise chastity and household management.
- To younger brothers, instruct proper etiquette.
- To farmers, encourage diligent cultivation.
- To virtuous scholars, discuss the Great Dao together.
- To foreigners, maintain respective boundaries.
- To servants, teach carefulness in their duties.
The Celestial Worthy Lingbao concludes: Upholding pure precepts aligns with the Heavenly Dao, while maintaining a compassionate heart to universally deliver sentient beings. Better to die upholding goodness than to survive through evil. Such practice enables transcendence beyond the Five Paths of Rebirth (the paths of celestials, humans, animals, hungry ghosts, and hell-beings), avoiding suffering in the Three Evil Paths (hell, hungry ghosts, and animals), and gaining protection from celestial beings. The scripture concludes with a gatha:
"All practitioners who vow to attain true enlightenment,
Maintain constant compassion, uphold precepts to sever afflictions."
(Note: This scripture emphasizes precepts as the foundation of Daoist cultivation. Through disciplined self-cultivation and virtue accumulation, practitioners ultimately achieve the goal of transcending cyclic existence.)
Source text: Kanripo 漢籍リポジトリ（KR5b0143）; Licence: CC BY-SA 4.0 · Report an error / feedback