《太上洞玄靈寶法身製論》

This Treatise on the Precepts of the Dharma Body by the Most High Cavern Mystery Numinous Treasure (Taishang Dongxuan Lingbao Fashen Zhilun) outlines the behavioral standards for Daoist practitioners, emphasizing forbearance and harmony as foundational virtues.

The most essential quality in cultivation is forbearance. In interactions with others, harmony should be valued above all. The greatest taboo for those entering the Daoist path is engaging in disputes. Loud arguments, arrogant attitudes, disturbing others, stubborn insistence on personal views, or frivolous behavior all deplete one's Qi (vital energy) and hinder spiritual progress. Those who violate these principles will be permanently barred from formal ritual activities (Keyi). If they fail to correct their conduct according to precepts, they may even lose their qualification as practitioners.

Alcohol corrupts De (virtue/power) and is the root of conflict and arrogance. Though the precepts explicitly forbid it, some still transgress. All cultivators should moderate drinking, especially those studying Daoist methods, who must abstain entirely. Only in specific circumstances—such as preparing medicinal formulas or conducting rituals—may limited consumption be permitted. Drinking in secret during purification periods (Zhaijiao), or assuming one's violations will go unnoticed, incurs severe penalties: first-time offenders face 100 days of confinement, while repeat offenders are expelled from practice.

Hurtful speech and deceitful rhetoric are strictly prohibited. Ancient sages warned that clever words can topple nations. Those who spread rumors, distort truths, or stir discord—provoking public resentment—must be stopped immediately. Violators receive one year of confinement; three offenses lead to expulsion.

Cultivation must be rooted in benevolence and De. Compassion is the beginning of blessings, while killing is the source of sin. The best way to accumulate merit is to eliminate harm. Recently, some practitioners—eager to release captive creatures for seasonal blessings in the fifth lunar month—have instead captured animals in advance, causing many to die before liberation. This not only fails to generate merit but creates grave karmic offenses. Henceforth, forced animal releases are forbidden. Only when encountering suitable opportunities by chance may one purchase and free creatures spontaneously. Ritual masters (Tianshi) must also take care: reckless handling of animal releases constitutes negligence, punishable by 200 days of confinement.

Regarding purification rituals (Zhaijiao), Master Lu Xiujing has already established detailed protocols, which all should follow. Practitioners near and far must uphold these teachings collectively. Violations—such as squatting casually during ceremonies or striking ritual instruments as if at a banquet—invite ridicule from observers and demand immediate correction. Fear of criticism should never justify rule-breaking. First-time offenders face one year of confinement; three violations warrant expulsion under canon law.

This passage from the Daoist scripture The Most High Grotto-Mystery Numinous Treasure Treatise on Cultivating the Dharma Body primarily discusses the precepts practitioners must observe and the essential principles of cultivation:

Dietary Restrictions:

Practitioners must abstain from the Five Pungent Vegetables (garlic, leeks, and other spicy plants) and the meat of the Six Domestic Animals (cattle, horses, pigs, sheep, etc.). These foods harm the spirit (Shen), damage one's innate nature, and render prayers ineffective. Even if one must break these prohibitions for urgent medical treatment, discretion is required—otherwise, they risk ridicule from fellow practitioners. Violators will be penalized with 100 days of secluded cultivation.

Social Interactions:

Practitioners should maintain appropriate relationships with like-minded companions. Those with virtue (De) will naturally perform good deeds, such as participating in purification rituals (Zhaijiao) at devotees' homes with sincere reverence. Indulging in excessive feasting, pursuing fame, or causing distress to hosts will provoke disapproval. If one must leave early for urgent matters, they should do so courteously without arrogance. Violators face 200 days of seclusion, and repeat offenders will be permanently barred from attending rituals.

Entertainment Prohibitions:

During rituals, practitioners must avoid decadent music ("Zheng-Wei tunes," considered lascivious in antiquity), seductive poetry, exotic Western performances, or Northern barbarian dances. Such entertainments disrupt mental clarity rather than nurture self-cultivation. Excessive drinking and revelry during ceremonies allow worldly habits to surface, damaging one's spiritual progress. Violators incur 100 days of seclusion.

Core Principles of Cultivation:

The wondrous methods of the Numinous Treasure originate before the Primordial Beginning, embodying emptiness and stillness. Those with virtuous roots perceive its profundity, while the uninitiated struggle to comprehend. The wise grasp truth between existence and non-existence, while fools doubt its reality. The scripture appears both tangible and intangible—this undifferentiated state of Wuwei (non-action) reveals itself differently to each observer. Diligent practice awakens wisdom, whereas neglect leads to spiritual obscurity.

This scripture passage comes from The Supreme Grotto-Mystery Numinous Treasure Treatise on the Dharma Body (an important classic expounding the attainment of the "dharma body" in Daoist cultivation). Its essential meaning is:

This scripture is the fundamental principle of complete liberation, its teachings serving as the dwelling place for the practitioner's spirit. If one can maintain constant purity (referring to a state where the mind remains undisturbed by external matters) and attain the sublime state, even worldly sages would find their admiration severed (meaning the cultivation realm transcends ordinary comprehension).

In simpler terms, the scripture emphasizes that this classic provides the foundational guidance for spiritual practice, with its theoretical framework serving as the practitioner's spiritual home. By preserving inner purity and reaching the supreme state, one's attainment surpasses the boundaries of worldly understanding.