《雲笈七籤》Vol. 38

The “Account of the Beginning” chapter of the Jade Clarity Scripture says: Long ago, the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning traveled through many lands with countless sages and worthies, eventually arriving in the human world, known as the “World That Abandoned the Worthy.” There lived a king named Dezheng. He was upright, clever, and eloquent, and he wished to guide all living beings. So he summoned the ministers and people of every age and sex throughout his realm and told them:

“Today, peace prevails throughout the land. There is no warfare, fires have been put out, weapons are no longer used, and the crops have all yielded abundant harvests. These are blessings bestowed by the Dao; they do not come about on their own. How can we repay the Dao’s boundless kindness? We should offer our reverence with sincere hearts: build temples, present incense, flowers, and lamps, bow and recite scriptures morning and evening, and seek blessings through purification, repentance, and confession.”

The Celestial Worthy then commanded the immortal Ju Ling to tell the king: “You are the ruler of a realm, upheld by the people of the land. No mortal holds a higher position than you. If you govern by the Orthodox Way and do not wrong your people, that alone will move Heaven. Why rush to seek secret formulas? The Way of the hidden essentials is hard to hear, but the steps that lead to it come down to kindness and good deeds. The Way of kindness is to refrain from violating the precepts.

“There are many kinds of precepts, just as people differ in their qualities. Those of the highest kind naturally commit no transgressions in daily life and need not deliberately observe precepts. Those of the middle kind are sometimes unsettled inwardly, and the circumstances they encounter can affect their thoughts. They therefore need precepts to restrain themselves and keep from giving free rein to their impulses. Such people may undertake the Ten Precepts or the Five Precepts to guard themselves.

“Those of the lowest kind have many evil thoughts and are difficult to restrain. Among them are two groups. The better group is willing to keep the precepts. They may undertake the 199 Precepts, the Three Hundred Great Precepts for Contemplating the Body, or the 1,200 Precepts of Conduct—rules governing everyday speech and behavior—to guard themselves and keep from straying into excess. The worse group behaves like birds and beasts: though they have human forms, they lack human nature. Giving them precepts would bring no benefit.

“I will now first explain the ten middle precepts for people of the second rank. They are the basic rules for entering the gate of the Dao.”

The assembly listened with joy and eagerness, and all bowed together to receive the precepts. The Celestial Worthy said:

“First Precept: Do not defy your parents or teachers. Do not rebel, commit evil, or fail to show filial piety and respect.”

The Second Precept: Do not kill living beings, or slaughter, harm, or dismember any creature.

The Third Precept: Do not betray the ruler or plot to endanger the state and its people.

The Fourth Precept: Do not engage in sexual misconduct or have improper relations with blood relatives, aunts, sisters, or another person’s wife.

The Fifth Precept: Do not slander the Daoist teachings or carelessly disclose the scriptures.

The Sixth Precept: Do not defile a pure ritual altar, or wear only a single garment that leaves the body exposed.

The Seventh Precept: Do not oppress the lonely, the weak, or the poor, and do not seize another person’s property.

The Eighth Precept: Do not expose your body beneath the sun, moon, or stars, and do not shun the elderly, the frail, or the sick.

The Ninth Precept: Do not indulge in drinking or give free rein to your impulses; do not spread rumors or speak maliciously.

The Tenth Precept: Do not abuse your power, act tyrannically on your own authority, or use your influence to pursue personal gain.

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

The Highest Grade of the Great Precepts (with Preface)

The Scripture of the Highest Grade of the Great Precepts for Dispelling Demons, Preserving the True, and Settling the Will through Wisdom and Original Vows, from the Most High Dongxuan Lingbao records:

The Immortal Lord of the Supreme Ultimate was observing a purification retreat on Mount Tiantai, quietly cultivating and devoting himself to reciting the Dao. He bowed to the Master of the Supreme Ultimate, Xu Laile, and asked for instruction: “I am fortunate to have drawn near the Celestial Worthy and heard teachings of profound subtlety. They reach across the myriad kalpas and probe the source of the Dao; the joy they bring is beyond compare. Since childhood, I have admired the immortals and hoped to attain the Way of ascending to heaven in broad daylight, and I have often longed for the highest sages. Yet the teachings of the Great Scripture are deep and mysterious, and difficult to grasp. I hope to receive the secret instructions transmitted orally, so that my confusion may be dispelled, I may reach the realm of the void, and understand the principles of being and nonbeing. There are also matters I have not yet understood: what is the relationship between a person’s life, the causes and conditions of previous lives, and their original actions? I now earnestly ask the Celestial Worthy to guide me in what I have not yet comprehended.”

At that moment, Perfected Xuangao of the Most High chanted the Dongzhang of Pacing the Void, a text recited in Daoist Zhaijiao rituals. His expression was joyful, and his face shone with golden light. He said: “Through many kalpas, you have remained devoted to seeking the Dao. For this reason, your name has been entered in the register of the immortals of the Supreme Ultimate. You have become a person of wisdom in the world and will go alone to Jade Capital, the celestial city of the immortals, transcending the Three Realms. The mission borne by the Immortal Lord of the Most High is indeed exalted. You are compassionate and care for both heavenly and human beings; you also hope to guide those who come after you. You often forget yourself to aid all living beings, and you possess virtue without seeking fame. Surely, the words recorded in the Mysterious Capital are no idle claim.”

Then he said to the Perfected One of the Supreme Ultimate: “You have received the instruction of the Dao Lord, the Void Emperor of the Most High, and serve as his tutor and guardian. You should therefore devote yourself to transmitting to him the profound principles of the Highest Great Cavern. Why wait for him to say more? I have been fortunate to receive the command to serve as Master of the Teachings. As for opening the scripture scrolls and teaching from them, that is for you to do.”

The Perfected One of Taiji replied, “This untouched person—that is, a cultivator whose mind and body are pure and untainted by the world—is listed in the Golden Register, the Daoist register of immortals. He is exceptionally gifted, refined and graceful, and deeply understands the subtle mysteries of the Supreme One and the principles that penetrate the Void. He should therefore serve as an Immortal Lord, proclaiming the Great Dao with an open heart. I am fortunate to have received his teaching, yet ashamed that I am not worthy to be his teacher. Since the Supreme One has already issued the command, how could I withhold anything? The foundation that encompasses all mysteries must rely entirely on you, Master of the Teaching.”

The Perfected One of Taiji continued, “The Dao is originally without form or trace, yet it extends everywhere without end. If you seek it, it is within yourself; yet the Dao can also appear in visible things. Thus, one may enter the formless Dao through what has form. Only by focusing the mind and steadily accumulating intention can one comprehend the mystery. The flourishing transformations of all things are like illusions, and in the end they all return to emptiness. The human body is the same: when the body dies, the spirit departs. It is like a house collapsing, leaving its occupant nowhere to dwell. When the body decays, Shen can no longer remain within it.

“Therefore, restrain scattered thoughts and settle the mind; quietly nourish the body and settle Shen; cherish the original Qi and preserve Jing. Let go of thoughts, become still in meditation, and turn your gaze inward. Then body and spirit unite as one, bringing you close to your true form. The foundations of this cultivation come from deeds in former lives: thoughts accumulate one after another, and their responses follow in succession. Perform meritorious deeds, help the people, and use your benevolence to shelter all things.

“Causes and conditions turn and flow; offenses and blessings correspond to one another, and life and death take turns. The noble and the lowly drive one another; the wise and the foolish contend with one another; the poor and the wealthy exploit one another; good and evil reveal one another. Suffering of every kind has no end. It is all brought about by people’s actions and desires, not deliberately caused by the Dao, Heaven, Earth, or the myriad things. Its source lies in the human heart. Once caught in such circumstances, it is difficult to escape.

“Among those who have lost sight of the root, few believe in the Dao, while many are ruled by fate. They do not accumulate goodness, focus their minds, cultivate De, or care for body and mind, yet they wish to cast aside virtue and forget themselves, forcing their way toward what they seek outside. How could they succeed? When they fail to obtain it, they often end up harming themselves. Therefore, those who have the Dao seek within themselves and do not demand it from others. To cultivate oneself is to make one’s De genuine; this is the Way of self-cultivation.

“If a student of the Dao lacks great wisdom, spiritual attainment, and an original aspiration, and has no karmic affinity for upholding the highest precepts, they cannot become a High Immortal. You have karmic ties from former lives, which is why you have seen this scripture. Its words are concealed: one must first establish faith and test it with sincerity before it can be transmitted. It must not be shown casually to those who do not believe. Otherwise, they will surely give rise to deviant thoughts; once such thoughts arise, both the transmitter and the recipient will incur guilt. Therefore, keep the scripture carefully concealed. Reveal it only when someone with the right affinity appears, someone destined to become an Immortal King.”

At that moment, dragons soared through the clouds, the heavens scattered flowers, fragrance drifted through the air, and immortal music began to play. The waves of mountains and seas grew calm, all things fell silent, ghosts and demons vanished, spirits and demons submitted, and the Five Sufferings…

All beings can escape the retribution of the Hell of Long Separation and return to the good paths. By believing in and accepting the Orthodox Teachings and following their guidance, they can gain blessings. At this time, Liu Wenjing, an immortal attendant of the scriptures of the Supreme Ultimate (Taiji), wearing a robe of clouds and carrying a scripture, transmitted this text.

The Perfected One of the Supreme Ultimate said: If in a former life you honored and made offerings to the teachers who transmitted the scriptures, recited them aloud and put them into practice, were willing to give generously, and kept your hopes alive even in hardship; if you took joy in drawing near to the Three Treasures—the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha, here referring to the sacred teachings revered in practice—as well as to the ruler and your parents, serving the ruler faithfully and your parents devotedly; if you longed for mountains and waters, lived among worthy people and scholars, and sought the Dao with a humble heart; if you burned incense and scattered flowers, protected and rescued all beings, cultivated the Dao and corrected your faults, accepted instruction, remained at peace with your allotted fate, and calmed your thoughts and restrained your emotions, then above you may ascend to immortality and transcend the world, while below you may be reborn into wealth and honor. In your next human life, you will be respected, have a fine and pleasing appearance, possess clear and far-reaching intelligence, and enjoy the blessings needed to live as a person.

Wealth and honor in this life may be the fruit of having slighted the poor and lowly in a former life. Poverty and low status now may be retribution for having looked down on the poor and lowly before. If you enjoy killing in this life, you may suffer injury or be killed in the next. If you scorn and mock people for their ugly appearance now, you may be ugly in a future life. If you are clever but refuse to teach others, you may be dull and closed-minded in the next life. If you are healthy year after year but mock those who suffer hardship and illness, you may be plagued by chronic illness in a future life. If you disbelieve in the Daoist teachings and mock the scriptures now, you may be ignorant and base in the next life, cut off from the Dao for a long time.

A woman who takes another person’s husband in this life may be widowed while still young in the next. A man who entices another person’s wife may be left alone without a partner in a future life. Those who vowed in this life to become husband and wife but cannot be born together as humans in the next, and who become ghosts after death, may suffer an uncanny illness in this life because of old attachments. Without profound teachings, it is difficult to untangle the entanglements of former lives and dispel this uncanny illness.

The bonds between parents, siblings, spouses, rulers and subjects, teachers and students, and friends all continue from the intentions and karmic ties of former lives. They arise and unfold through successive lives, and often bring corresponding causes and effects between those involved. Thus misfortune and blessing depend on one another, and cause and effect recur without end. Those who study immortality and seek the Dao, however, should also let go of these attachments, free themselves from the bonds of birth, death, and rebirth, return to the mysterious realm, and enter the wondrous gate of the Dao. Only by understanding this can one speak of the foundations of studying the Dao.

When you see someone with a wife and children, wish that all beings may soon escape the prison of desire, gather their thoughts, and uphold the precepts.

When you see someone drinking wine, wish that all beings may restrain their desires, preserve the root of life, and keep clear of turmoil.

When you see a beautiful woman, wish that all beings may steady their emotions, restrain their sexual desires, and aspire to the virtues of worthiness and chastity.

When you see someone indulging in lust, wish that all beings may cast aside deviant thoughts and devote themselves wholeheartedly to observing the prohibitions.

When you see a woman, wish that all beings may have the resolve to renounce worldly finery and take joy in cultivating the Dao.

When seeing a person who cultivates the Dao and possesses De, may all people practice honesty and upright teaching, and enter the Daoist path day by day.

When seeing a crowd, may all people treat one another with benevolence, refrain from fighting, keep the Great Dao in their hearts, and bring peace to the world.

When seeing a good person, may all people keep good deeds in mind at every moment, admire the true Great Dao, and follow it.

When seeing an evil person, may all people abandon evil and turn to good, transform misfortune into good fortune, and avoid breaking the law of the ruler.

When seeing someone in poverty, may all people give generously, even at their own expense, and receive great blessings in the future.

When seeing someone wealthy, may all people aid and relieve all things, and enjoy good fortune and prosperity for generations.

When seeing someone of high rank, may all people receive and follow that person’s teachings, so that these teachings become a standard for all.

When seeing someone of low status, may all people cultivate diligently without slackening, and each fulfill the work proper to them.

When seeing the emperor, may all people honor the royal Way and respect the ruler as they would their parents.

When seeing a minister who assists the ruler, may all people accept his commands, so that people in all directions may return to benevolence and De.

When seeing weapons and armor, may all people each hold benevolence in their hearts, so that all under Heaven learn to yield to the worthy.

When seeing a prince, may all people sing of peace day after day, so that the state and the family line may be carried on.

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

When seeing a ritual master who teaches the Dao, may all people understand its principles, attain the Dao, and reach the state of Wuwei (non-action).

When seeing a Daoist who lives in seclusion in the mountains, may all people grasp the teachings of the Daoist path and swiftly ascend to immortality.

When seeing instruction and moral teaching, may all people personally receive the sages’ teachings and become learned.

When seeing a sage, may all people honor and bow to them, go to pay their respects, and enable every state to look up to the sage.

When seeing an immortal, may all people realize the true Dao and ascend to the heavens.

When seeing city walls, may all people keep them in good repair, making the Dao their foundation.

When seeing a great state, may all people turn toward the orthodox tradition and admire De, like rivers flowing into the sea.

When seeing a small state, may all people be content and keep to their place, humble and modest, and dwell in peace where they are.

When seeing a marketplace and the royal court, may worthy people gather like clouds and work together to spread the Orthodox Way.

When seeing quiet contemplation and cultivation, may all people attain great merit and De, and may both heavenly beings and humans attain the Dao.

When seeing fasting and the offering of incense, may all people renew their De day by day, and may ritual and moral teaching become upright and refined.

When seeing the recitation of scriptures, may all people take their places on high seats and listen together to the sages’ teachings.

When seeing the scriptures and their teachings, may all people receive them, recite them, and practice them with due reverence, spreading their teachings everywhere.

When seeing a tower or Daoist temple, may all people see clearly in the ten directions, with nothing in the world hidden from view.

When seeing a high mountain, may all people grow in wisdom, broaden their thoughts, and help bring prosperity to their families and country.

When seeing a place to rest amid dense woods, may all people find secure and peaceful homes, sheltered by the shade of trees.

When seeing someone devoted to study, may all people become masters, take in disciples, and spread their teachings widely.

When seeing someone wash their hands, may all people always hold a scripture in their hands and never slacken, even for a moment.

When seeing someone skilled in conversation, may all people devote themselves to studying and savoring the Dong Jing (Cavern Scripture), gaining something each day and delighting in it without weariness.

When seeing someone take a step, may all people transcend the Three Realms—the Desire Realm, Form Realm, and Formless Realm—and ascend to Shangqing, the lofty celestial realm of Daoist teaching.

When seeing someone stand still, may all people leave worldly traces behind, dwell in the realm of truth, and abide in ease and tranquility.

When seeing food and drink, may all people cast off their burdens, enter a realm of purity, and savor the taste of attaining the Dao.

When seeing a great storehouse—a repository for scriptures or other goods—may all people dispel calamities and turn their deeds into fields of merit through which blessings may grow.

When seeing illness, may all people settle body and mind through the Dao and be spared suffering.

When seeing death and mourning, may all people study the Dao and attain long life, while saving beings from the Three Paths of suffering: hell, hungry ghosts, and animals.

When seeing a hunt, may all people cease creating sins from beginning to end and enter a realm free of sin.

When seeing the Yi and Di, ancient terms for peoples of distant regions, may all people be born in China, the ancient name for the Central Plain, rather than in remote lands.

When seeing the young, may all people seek learning in good time and ultimately complete their studies and earn scholarly distinction.

When seeing the elderly and ill, may all people nourish and protect life through the Dao and no longer grow old.

When seeing the sun, moon, and stars—the Three Lights—may the radiance of all people’s spiritual insight shine everywhere, dispelling darkness at once.

When seeing clouds and rain, may all people receive abundant blessings, and may all things be well suited to their needs.

When seeing white snow, may all people dwell constantly in a realm of purity and integrity, free and at ease.

When sensing a numinous wind, may all people hold virtue within and put it into practice, spreading its blessings far and near.

When seeing clear water, may all people wash away defilement, return to emptiness and purity, and treat others with an impartial heart.

When smelling precious incense, may all people receive its fragrance and purity, so that every kind of impurity is swept away at once.

When seeing beautiful flowers, may all people delight in offering flowers to the sages, and attain both fine appearance and virtue.

When seeing carriages and horses, may all people attain the Dao through Wuwei (non-action), riding the wind and driving dragons.

When hearing string music and singing, may all people study the scriptures, praise the Dao and its teachings, and take delight in the Dao.

When seeing a feast of abundant food, may all people be fully satisfied and enjoy the fare of the celestial kitchens in this world. May their virtuous blessings flow down to later generations as water runs into the sea. May the ancestral line continue unbroken, with descendants dwelling for generations in positions of honor and prosperity, and being born into royal households alongside the Four Orders of practitioners and devotees.

When seeing someone give alms, may all people’s calamities be extinguished in the Nine Yin, the hidden depths of darkness, and may blessings and virtue arise from the Ten Directions.

May I flourish and prosper like the mountains and seas; may seven generations of my ancestors ascend to Heaven; may my descendants be virtuous and loyal, prosperous and renowned. May all I seek come to pass: may I learn the Dao and become an immortal, riding the clouds and mounting a dragon. Whether seated or lying down, may Daoists always wish that the “Four Great Elements” within our bodies—the four basic constituents of the body—be harmonized and joined in Virtue, becoming one with the true Dao, enduring forever without perishing. May teachers and companions from the Mysterious Capital, the immortal realm of Daoist legend, come of their own accord to save beings throughout the ten directions, so that all under Heaven may receive their kindness, roam freely in Wuwei (non-action), and enter the wondrous gate of inner vision.

Three Prayers for Paying Reverence to the Scriptures

A perfected being transmitted this oral teaching: the immortal youths and jade maidens who attend the scriptures rejoice when they hear these prayers and protect those who recite them. Since these prayers bring joy and blessings, they are recited before paying reverence when reading the great scriptures. Those who pay reverence to the scriptures through focused contemplation should also recite the prayers silently in their hearts. These are prayers secretly transmitted by the highest immortals.

First Prayer

Make the Dao and its teachings your companions; cherish the scriptures as you would pearls and jade. Uphold the precepts and restrain the six passions; turn your thoughts toward the Great Dao and cast desire aside. Remain detached and keep your vital energy at peace. When the mind and spirit are calm and still, even the heavenly demons will honor and protect you. In every generation, may you enjoy great blessings.

Second Prayer

May the state prosper and the family flourish; may many cultivate the scriptures and follow the Dao, and may the Dao’s teachings thrive. Heaven and humanity share a common hope: may we float freely into the path of the Great Vehicle. With a kind heart, cultivate a field of blessings; may the Dharma Wheel turn on without end. May seven generations of ancestors ascend to Heaven, and may I too rise to Heaven in broad daylight.

Third Prayer

The Great Dao is profound and mysterious. Whatever one prays for can be brought forth. Refine and transform the body, enter the realm of immortal perfection, and ultimately attain an indestructible body like adamant. Transcend the sufferings of the Three Realms and be freed from the five torments of the underworld. Then all return to the Supreme One’s scripture, bowing in reverence with minds made still and contemplative.

The Perfected One of the Supreme Ultimate said: Those who cultivate the path to immortality should accumulate twelve hundred good deeds without seeking reward. Accumulate three thousand good deeds, and you can ascend to Heaven in broad daylight. Good deeds should be devoted to rescuing those facing death and danger; showing them special kindness is especially meritorious. Those who study the Dao should bring all their conduct into accord with its teachings, cultivate fields of blessing widely, and awaken great compassion. In action and in stillness, let their hearts always keep the Dao in mind. If they can do these things, then practice breathing techniques, take elixirs, wear talismans, and read scriptures, persevering throughout their lives without weariness—how could they fail to become immortals?

Without such Virtue, a person may take elixirs, wear talismans, read scriptures, and observe purification rites, yet in the end their life will come to its end and their cultivation will bring no result. Those who study the Dao should carefully reflect on these essential teachings. The Perfected One of the Supreme Ultimate also said: Accumulating three hundred good deeds allows one to remain in the world and become an earthly immortal. 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. If the intention to do good is always present in one’s heart, that too counts as merit; guiding others to do good is itself the accumulation of good deeds.

The Perfected of Taiji said: Those who regularly recite and chant the Cavern scripture (a Daoist classic) and cultivate the way of great compassion, putting others before themselves, promoting good deeds and abandoning bad habits, severing every attachment, dispelling distracting thoughts, and preserving a mind of emptiness and stillness like the profound and subtle Dao, are truly pursuing the Dao. At first, they are only able to speak of the way of the immortals.

The Perfected of Taiji also said: In the past, I received and upheld the Ten Admonitions on Goodness and Support for Virtue of Taiji Wisdom, which urge people to do good and support Daoist affairs. I followed the lofty Great Dao and honored and practiced it from generation to generation. Guiding people in accordance with the great teaching is very easy; this is simply a blessing bestowed by nature. The Highest One, a title of reverence for the supreme deity in Daoism, broadly teaches beings in heaven and on earth, so that each may fulfill their original wishes. Those newly entering the Daoist path should maintain a mind of Wuwei (non-action) over the long term. In this way, they can escape the ten sufferings and eight calamities, dispel sinful karma and enmity, leave hell behind, and avoid the scrutiny and punishment of the Three Officials, deities who govern Heaven, Earth, and Water. Then they may enjoy peace and ease day after day, prosperity and happiness in every generation, and freedom from all bonds. In future lives, too, they will be safe and fortunate, naturally calm in disposition, and able to fulfill all their wishes. These admonitions should be passed on to people who are worthy and trustworthy.

The Ten Admonitions on Goodness say:

Urge people to honor the Three Treasures of the Dao, the scriptures, and the masters, and to make offerings to Dharma masters—those who transmit the Dao, teach people to do good, and serve as examples to the world. This will enable them, in every generation, to become virtuous and noble, worthy and filial, exceptionally intelligent, prosperous, and honored. In this life, they will be respected by others, and their families will flourish.

An admonition says: Urge people to contribute funds for the restoration and copying of scriptures. This will enable them, in every generation, to be intelligent and widely learned, to understand subtle and profound truths, to encounter enlightened eras, to see the various teachings of the scriptures, and to recite their passages.

An admonition says: Urge people to help arrange purification rites and cleanse ritual sites. This will enable their families, in every generation, to be distinguished and noble; they will ascend to heaven, receive food and drink naturally, and dwell constantly in the pure stillness of Wuwei.

An admonition says: Urge people to offer incense, oil, and other items. This will enable them, in every generation, to have a good reputation, pure bodies and minds, radiant appearances, outstanding features, and refined natural gifts.

An admonition says: Urge people to support Dharma masters in making ritual robes. This will enable them, in every generation, to live at ease and with refinement, far from worldly concerns. Whether they live in the Central Plains or in remote regions, they will maintain a dignified appearance. Men and women alike will be elegant in appearance, wear caps and jade pendants, and dress in garments suited to their station.

An admonition says: Urge people to be loyal to the ruler, filial toward their parents, and caring toward the people. This will enable them, in every generation, to have many descendants, with virtuous and learned children, and to escape all manner of suffering.

An admonition says: Urge people to observe purification and abstinence and recite the scriptures. This will enable them, in every generation, to avoid falling into hell, ascend directly to heaven, pay their respects to the assembled sages, and soon be reborn as human beings in the households of lords and nobles. All their wishes will be fulfilled, with every cherished pleasure and possession at hand. Their seven generations of ancestors will rejoice with them; their good karmic ties will be complete, and they will enjoy prosperity and happiness without end. The Daoist teachings will continue to be transmitted, and in the end they will attain immortality.

An admonition says: Urge people to study the scriptures. This will enable them, in every generation, to be intelligent and capable, and to act… (The original ends here.)

By maintaining a dignified and calm bearing, one can become a teacher to all.

The precepts say: Encourage and support all acts of giving, and urge people to turn from evil and do good, so that they may enjoy long lives, generation after generation. Examine your own wealth and pleasures, and remain free of resentment and distress.

The precepts also say: Encourage the people to cast off jealousy and desire and practice every kind of good, so that they may live in peace and happiness from one generation to the next, without calamity or disorder. The sick may recover; officials may be promoted and win the respect of the people; and good fortune and protection may attend their affairs. Their households will be upright and honored; Heaven’s people will love and nurture them; spirits will constantly protect them; and they will often be born in places blessed with good fortune.

The Perfected One of Taiji (the Supreme Ultimate), a Daoist immortal, said: Among human misdeeds, none are worse than jealousy, killing, greed and extravagance, pride, and indulgence. Even harboring one of these in the heart can diminish one’s lifespan. Is it not tragic to pursue the way of the immortals while holding such evil thoughts?

The Jade Book of the High Empyrean discusses the Ten Good Deeds and Ten Evils:

Once the Ten Good Deeds are put into practice, the Ten Evils naturally cease. By abandoning evil and practicing good, one can fulfill the virtue of compassion. The good deeds set out in the highest-grade precepts include comforting the bereaved and aiding the living; treating the sick and giving to the poor; putting oneself aside to help others; serving one’s teachers and elders; building quiet places for spiritual cultivation; copying and correcting scriptures; observing a vegetarian retreat and reciting the Dao; yielding to others and upholding what is right without competing for fame; teaching the ignorant and admonishing people to turn away from wrongdoing; digging wells beside remote roads and planting fruit trees; teaching children and urging people to do good. Whatever one does should serve as an example. One’s conduct and bearing should be visible and worthy of emulation, follow the standards of instruction, and be practiced with constancy.

Only those who put the Ten Good Deeds into practice in all areas of life can be called Daoist practitioners. Without cultivating goodness and accumulating De (Virtue), even spiritual practice in the mountains and forests is futile. Those who believe these principles should diligently study the various precepts. There are many kinds of precepts, and one should study according to one’s own circumstances. All the different rules and standards support the cultivation of the One and govern the three karmic activities of body, speech, and mind. These three are speech, the body, and the mind; people’s words, actions, and deeds give rise to boundless good and evil.

The Ten Evils are the roots of evil karma: first, false speech; second, flowery and deceptive speech; third, sowing discord; fourth, abusive speech. These four are evils of speech; their opposites are good deeds. Fifth, covetousness; sixth, theft; seventh, sexual misconduct. These three are evils of the body. Eighth, jealousy; ninth, anger; tenth, false views and delusion. These three are evils of the mind. The mind’s evil karma is the heaviest and is the root of the Ten Evils. To end the Ten Evils and cultivate the Ten Good Deeds, one should speak truthfully and honestly, and converse, teach, and recite with kindness. One should be humble, give away wealth, and maintain purity and integrity both inwardly and outwardly; rejoice in and praise the good deeds of others; and hold a joyful, respectful faith in the Three Treasures: the Dao, the scriptures, and the teachers. With these Ten Good Deeds, the Ten Evils can be eradicated forever.

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

First, do not kill. Keep all living beings constantly in your thoughts. Second, do not engage in sexual misconduct or violate another person’s wife or daughters.

The third is not to steal wealth acquired through wrongdoing. The fourth is not to deceive, distort right and wrong, or confuse good and evil. The fifth is not to get drunk, and to keep mindful of maintaining pure conduct. The sixth is to live in harmony with one’s clan and friends, and not to become estranged from one’s family. The seventh is to feel joy and approval when seeing others do good. The eighth is to help those who are sorrowful or in hardship accumulate blessings and do good. The ninth is to resolve not to take revenge when someone offends me. The tenth is to be unwilling to begrudge anything, so long as I have not yet attained the Dao through cultivation.

The scripture says: At that time, twelve young people were living in the human world. Every day they would meet, prepare fine food, drink freely, and amuse themselves. Sometimes they also discussed whether keeping the precepts was truly difficult. The Celestial Worthy—a title in Daoism for revered deities of the celestial realm—saw them from afar with the Eye of the Dao. He knew that in a previous life these people, through ignorance, had served as teachers, yet begrudged the scriptures and refused to pass them on to their disciples. As a result, their disciples had also hesitated to seek the Dao. Now, a thread of affinity remained, and they could still be guided.

The Celestial Worthy therefore took the form of an ordinary person, passed by the gathering, and pretended to beg for food, using the opportunity to speak with them. The young people returned to their earlier topic. One of them said, “I often go with my elder brother to Mount Anle. I see the Daoists there observing the Ten Precepts with reverence and solemnity, and it is truly admirable. Even after death, the soul and spirit have somewhere to go; this is no delusion. But asking people to keep all ten precepts seems very difficult.”

The Celestial Worthy, in the guise of an ordinary person, replied, “Keeping these precepts is actually easy; it is breaking them that is difficult.” The others asked, “Why is keeping the precepts easy, while breaking them is difficult?” He answered, “If your conduct conforms to the precepts, you need not fear the Son of Heaven above or the spirits below. What is difficult about that? Those who break the precepts, however, are afraid wherever they go. That is why it is difficult.”

One of them said, “I can keep the other precepts, but the precept against drinking wine is the one I find hard to follow. In the past I took a powder medicine, and when its effects came on, only wine could relieve them, so giving it up is difficult.”

The transformed deity replied, “The wine needed when the powder medicine takes effect is, in essence, medicine used to care for the body. Allow for some flexibility when taking medicine, but do not exceed the proper amount.”

Another person said, “I can keep the other precepts, but the one against lying is especially difficult. For instance, if something is confidential, one should conceal it for someone in the presence of an elder. If someone asks about it directly, refusing to deceive them would mean breaking the precept, so it is difficult.”

The transformed deity replied, “Sometimes matters need to be kept confidential, and there are appropriate ways to handle them with discretion. But do not distort good and evil, or discuss and spread other people’s faults.”

Yet another person said, “I can keep the other precepts, but the one against stealing is the only one I find difficult…” The scripture breaks off here.

Even in matters to which people give little thought, a mistake can harm oneself and affect others. The more trivial something seems, the more carefully one should attend to it. Thus the Transforming One, who manifested to teach people, spoke this verse:

Why not accept the precept against theft? Without accepting it, it is hard to keep from stealing. Who says no one knows what happens in secret? Even in darkness, there are officials who record acts of theft. The value of what you steal is counted year after year, doubling and accumulating, and you will never be spared. In the future, you will have to hold molten copper in your hands; it will burn your mouth and boil your heart and liver. Even a single taste of this suffering will leave you heartsick whenever you remember it throughout the year. Why not accept this precept? Keeping it will preserve you. I uphold this precept, and others uphold it too; wherever we are, we can be at peace. Sitting calmly, we can draw near the numinous, and enjoy peace and happiness for a long time.

Someone said, “The other precepts are easy to keep, but the precept against sexual misconduct is the hardest to observe. This is what I often do: I go with my elder brother to eat, and when lunchtime comes, I tell myself, ‘Today I will focus on keeping the precept and not cross the bounds.’ I also think that after death I will surely receive the blessings of observing the precept of fasting. But that very evening, desire comes to torment me. Even when I force myself to resist in anguish, I still break the precept without realizing it. This happens every time.”

The Transforming One said, “You believe the thought of sexual desire is the hardest to change. But thoughts are empty; where is there any real, unchanging form of desire? First examine yourself and see that the body has no fixed basis. Then you will naturally understand that forms of desire are not truly real. What, then, could you not endure? Besides, indulging in sexual desire is like drinking salt water: the more you drink, the thirstier you become, and you will never be satisfied, even unto death.” Then the Transforming One spoke another verse:

Sexual desire is harder to bear than thirst, yet if you endure a little, you can still get through it. Why drink salt water? The saltier it is, the more intense your thirst becomes. If you can truly quench your thirst, you should drink the sweet dew of heaven. Its fragrance is rich and sweet, and its scent spreads throughout the body. The heavenly beings follow the fragrance and descend; naturally, you will then understand the wondrous Way. After that, you will live in ease and happiness, abiding in Wuwei (non-action) and preserving for a long time the blessings bestowed by the Nine Heavens.

Another person said, “The other precepts can all be observed, but the precept against killing is hard to keep. I love eating chicken. If there is no chicken at a meal, the food seems tasteless, and after a few days I become thin.”

The Transforming One said, “Being fat often brings people trouble; a thinner body is lighter and easier to manage. Why be fat?” Then the Transforming One spoke this verse:

The wise should abstain from killing and should not even harbor the thought of taking life. However small they may be, all beings love to live and wish to grow. Why harm their lives to sustain your own? Seeking only the nourishment of your appetite for a moment will damage your natural endowment and keep you sinking for a long time among the Three Evil Realms: hell, hungry ghosts, and animals, where you will repeatedly endure hardship. Good and evil each have their causes and conditions, just as a shout produces an echo.

Why not change this behavior and encourage yourself through compassion? The perfected one—a transcendent sage who has attained the Dao—will take you along to wander freely through the heavenly realm, amid its swirling clouds and rosy mists.

After reciting these verses, the manifested figure appeared in great majesty, taking the wondrous form of a Daoist adept. Attendants and officials surrounded him, while heavenly music resounded with an indescribable grandeur. Then he returned to the heights above. Everyone witnessed this scene, and joy filled their hearts. Having heard these profound teachings, their minds opened and understanding dawned; together, they attained the fruit of the Dao.

The Twenty-Seven Precepts of the Jing of the Wondrous Grove

The Celestial Worthy of the Primordial Beginning addressed the four assemblies gathered there: All living beings are attached to the tangible, conditioned things of this world. They cherish life and fear death. Yet although they seek longevity, they bring harm upon themselves by committing evil deeds that lead to death, and by failing to observe the precepts. Even if they live a long time, they are no more than old trees. How is that different from ordinary longevity?

Those who uphold the precepts can, even after death, take their place among the heavenly officials, ascend to immortality, and attain the Dao, becoming free and unrestrained. Even if someone held the rank of a prince or minister in life, or rose to be an emperor, such status is of no help after death if they have committed grave offenses; their soul and spirit will endure unbearable suffering.

Good men, reflect carefully and observe the precepts clearly, cultivating the Dao with upright hearts. I will explain this to you: nothing in the world lasts forever. All things undergo birth and death, success and decline. The sun rises and sets; the moon waxes full and wanes. Since ancient times, who has been able to defy this pattern?

Those who cultivate the Dao and Virtue can reach a state beyond birth and death. Those who practice goodness should do so this month, today, and at this very moment. Accumulate goodness without pause, complete every kind of good deed, and guard your good intentions, so that you may enter the practice of the Precepts of the Dharma Treasure.

The precepts say:

• Do not steal others’ possessions or take their money without cause.
• Do not speak falsehoods or use cunning, empty words; do not kill anyone out of resentment.
• Do not be greedy, angry, or deluded, and do not act arrogantly or bully others.
• Do not curse others with malicious intent or shout abuse at them.
• Do not disparage or slander others, sow discord, or use crooked flattery.
• Do not discuss others’ strengths and weaknesses or take pleasure in talking about their faults.
• Do not denigrate good people to elevate yourself or behave with conceit.
• Do not keep poisonous creatures to harm people or send letters praising good deeds.
• Do not slight the teachings of the scriptures or slander the scriptures of the sages.
• Do not use your power to oppress others or indulge in lust and fixation on beauty.
• Do not take pleasure in killing living beings or become intoxicated with wine and lose your senses.
• Do not kill living beings to sacrifice to evil spirits or set fire to wild land and forests.
• Do not speak recklessly about your teachers and elders or covet and hoard wealth.
• Do not discuss other people’s private affairs.

The Twenty-Seven Precepts of Lord Lao

Practice Wuwei (non-action), going along with nature rather than forcing things; remain gentle and yielding, keep to the feminine and stillness, and do not rush to act. These are the three highest forms of conduct.

Practice namelessness, seeking no fame; remain pure and still, and do good widely. These are the three middle forms of conduct.

Practice loyalty and filial devotion, know when you have enough, and be modest and yielding. These are the three lowest forms of conduct.

Together, the two passages above set out nine forms of conduct. Taken together, they serve as guidelines for cultivating the Dao. They make no distinction between high and low; everyone should follow them.

Those who fulfill all nine forms of conduct can become immortals; those who fulfill six can enjoy long life; those who fulfill three can extend their years and lengthen their lives.

Precepts:

The nine highest precepts: Do not deplete Jing (essence), Qi (vital energy), and Shen (spirit); do not eat animals whose flesh contains blood; do not be captivated by beauty; do not damage the royal Qi, the fundamental energy that governs all things between Heaven and Earth; do not covet wealth and treasure; do not forget the Dao; do not act rashly; do not stray from the principles governing form and name; do not kill living beings; do not covet fame and official distinction.

The nine middle precepts: Do not indulge in pleasures that come through the ears, eyes, nose, and mouth; remain humble and yielding; attend carefully to all affairs and do not let your mind and spirit grow confused; do not study writings and teachings that are corrupt or deviant; do not covet fine clothing and food in order to nourish the body; do not pursue reputation; do not covet high rank and prestige or seek them by force; do not be frivolous or impatient; do not become excessively self-satisfied.

The nine lowest precepts: Do not argue with others over right and wrong or gain and loss; avoid disputes. Do not do evil. Do not despise poverty and low status or force your way toward wealth and privilege. Do not burden yourself with too many taboos. Do not claim the title of “sage” for yourself. Do not act arrogantly or domineeringly. Do not pray to or make offerings to ghosts and spirits. Do not assume that you alone are right. Do not delight in warfare.

Together, these twenty-seven precepts and the two passages above form the fundamental guidelines for cultivating the Dao. They make no distinction between high and low; everyone should follow them. Those who observe the nine highest precepts can become immortals; those who keep eighteen precepts can enjoy long life; those who keep nine can extend their years and lengthen their lives, and will not die prematurely without cause.