《無上祕要》Vol. 36

This section presents the precepts of the Jade Clarity Lower Origin tradition. Those who study the Dao must observe them themselves and must not teach others to act against them. Each precept pairs “do not…” with “do not teach others to…”

On killing living beings and drinking alcohol

Those who study the Dao must not kill living beings, including small creatures such as crawling insects. They must not teach others to kill living beings or insects.

They must not drink alcohol or teach others to drink.

On speech and trustworthiness

They must not use flowery or deceitful speech, sow discord, speak with a forked tongue, or break faith with others. They must not teach others to do so.

On sexual conduct and theft

They must not violate the wives and daughters of ordinary people, or teach others to do so.

They must not steal other people’s property, or teach others to steal.

On envy and the teacher-disciple relationship

They must not envy the worthy or resent the capable, or teach others to do so.

They must not betray their teacher’s kindness or forget their teacher’s care—that is, they must not fail to honor their teacher’s generosity. They must not teach others to betray their teachers.

On those above, those below, and fellow students

They must not be disloyal to those above them, such as elders or superiors, or teach others to be disloyal.

They must not slander those below them, including subordinates or juniors, or teach others to do so.

They must not deceive or mislead fellow students who have not yet gained understanding, or teach others to deceive their fellow students.

They must not treat their disciples with contempt, or teach others to do so.

On one’s intentions and one’s words

They must not speak kindly while harboring malice, or teach others to do so.

They must not make a practice of exposing other people’s faults and wrongs, or teach others to do so.

On wealth and giving

They must not hoard the Seven Treasures without making offerings to the Four Groups—the monks, nuns, and lay men and women who are commonly understood as recipients of offerings and alms. They must not teach others to hoard without giving.

They must not covet other people’s money and possessions and accumulate them for their own use, or teach others to covet others’ property.

On weapons and livestock

They must not keep knives, staves, or weapons, or teach others to keep weapons.

They must not raise the six kinds of livestock—such as horses, cattle, sheep, chickens, dogs, and pigs—or teach others to raise them.

On funerals and worldly pursuits

They must not use vessels of gold and silver, offer food and drink to the dead, or give the remains an elaborate burial. They must not teach others to do so.

They must not crave the pleasures of honor and official rank or seek a royal throne, or teach others to pursue fame and titles.

These precepts concern both personal conduct, meaning that one must not commit the acts oneself, and instruction, meaning that one must not lead others to break them. Together, they form the rules that students of the Dao in the Jade Clarity Lower Origin tradition must observe.

Related Precepts from The Supreme Secret Essentials (Wushang Miyao) (in plain language)

Those who study the Dao must not burn or destroy even the smallest amount of anyone’s property, and must not teach others to do so.

Do not waste edible food from the world by throwing it into fire or water, and do not teach others to do so.

Do not crave the delicacies of worldly life, and do not teach others to crave them.

Do not crave the Five Pungent Foods—scallions, garlic, Chinese chives, Chinese shallots, and asafoetida, among other pungent foods traditionally avoided in Daoist practice—and do not teach others to crave them.

Do not write in cursive script, with careless, hard-to-read characters, and do not teach others to write that way.

Do not trade shoddy goods for someone else’s fine goods, and do not teach others to take advantage of people in this way.

Do not seek to predict or interfere in major military and state affairs, and do not teach others to meddle in them.

Do not scheme or manipulate power and circumstances, and do not teach others to do so.

Do not visit the Son of Heaven or the lords and nobles without good reason, and do not teach others to curry favor with the powerful without good reason.

Do not make reckless claims about the workings of Heaven or the stars, such as fortune-telling through astrology, and do not teach others to engage in such practices.

Do not set fire to fields, mountains, or forests, and do not teach others to start fires that destroy woodland.

Do not pluck flowers from plants and trees without good reason, and do not teach others to pick them carelessly.

Do not associate with wicked people, and do not teach others to befriend them.

Do not cut down trees without good reason, and do not teach others to fell them carelessly.

Do not talk excessively among people or join in worldly gossip and debate, and do not teach others to chatter in public or follow popular opinion.

Do not eat alone in a gathering; share food with others. Do not teach others to eat alone in public.

Do not take part in the worldly affairs of weddings and marriages, and do not teach others to become involved in such customs.

Do not practice worldly singing, dancing, or instrumental music, and do not teach others to learn them.

Do not reveal other people’s secret misdeeds or private, shameful affairs, and do not teach others to expose people’s hidden matters.

Many of these precepts come in pairs: the first part says what one must not do oneself, and the second says what one must not teach others to do. Those who study the Dao must keep these precepts themselves and must not break them through either word or example.

The Daoist practitioner must not arbitrarily demand to see or secretly read another person’s letters or documents.

The Daoist practitioner must not teach others to arbitrarily demand to see or secretly read someone else’s letters or documents.

The Daoist practitioner must not speak or travel alone with a woman.

The Daoist practitioner must not teach others to speak or travel alone with a woman.

The Daoist practitioner must not sit together with women, and men and women must not live together in mixed company.

The Daoist practitioner must not eat with women or exchange clothing with them.

The Daoist practitioner must not personally teach women; this means they must not transmit the Dao’s teachings directly to female disciples in private.

The Daoist practitioner must not discuss the good or bad conduct of another person’s grandparents.

The Daoist practitioner must not teach others to discuss the good or bad conduct of another person’s grandparents.

The Daoist practitioner must not flatter or lavish excessive praise on people to their faces.

The Daoist practitioner must not put poison into deep pools, ponds, rivers, or seas.

The Daoist practitioner must not teach others to put poison into deep pools, ponds, rivers, or seas.

The Daoist practitioner must not distance themselves from or abandon their clan.

The Daoist practitioner must not become overly intimate with people of another surname; this refers to improper relations between men and women or factional associations.

The Daoist practitioner must not cause an abortion or harm a fetus.

The Daoist practitioner must not teach others to abandon their families or leave their spouses and children.

The Daoist practitioner must not take revenge on others out of hatred.

The Daoist practitioner must not teach others to take revenge on others out of hatred.

The Daoist practitioner must not slight or bully their disciples.

The Daoist practitioner must not teach others to slight or bully their disciples.

The Daoist practitioner must not gather crowds arbitrarily, for purposes unrelated to cultivation or lawful religious assemblies.

The Daoist practitioner must not teach others to gather crowds arbitrarily.

The Daoist practitioner must not write letters falsely accusing or slandering people in the world.

The Daoist practitioner must not teach others to write letters falsely accusing or slandering people in the world.

The Daoist practitioner must not regard themselves as superior.

The Daoist practitioner must not teach others to regard themselves as superior.

The Daoist practitioner must not be arrogant or complacent.

The Daoist practitioner must not teach others to be arrogant or complacent.

The Daoist practitioner must not stubbornly insist on being right or act wilfully.

The Daoist practitioner must not teach others to stubbornly insist on being right or act wilfully.

The Daoist practitioner must not invent numerous groundless taboos for the sake of worldly custom. Here, “Daoist practitioner” is apparently intended in place of “the use of the Dao.”

The Daoist practitioner must not teach others to invent numerous groundless taboos for the sake of worldly custom.

The Daoist practitioner must not covet or expect to receive other people’s possessions.

The Daoist practitioner must not teach others to covet or expect to receive other people’s possessions.

The Daoist practitioner must not drain ponds or marshes.

The Daoist practitioner must not teach others to drain ponds or marshes.

The Daoist practitioner must not judge the strengths and weaknesses of their teachers’ and fellow practitioners’ talents and thought.

The Daoist practitioner must not teach others to judge the strengths and weaknesses of their teachers’ and fellow practitioners’ talents and thought.

The Daoist practitioner must not slight the scriptures or disparage teachings of the Dao.

The Daoist practitioner must not teach others to slight the scriptures or disparage teachings of the Dao.

The Daoist practitioner must not treat the elderly or the sick with contempt or neglect.

The Supreme Secrets (Wushang Miyao): A Plain-Language Interpretation

The following are precepts for those who study the Dao—that is, people who cultivate themselves and follow the Daoist tradition. They must neither do these things themselves nor teach others to do them.

How to treat the elderly, the sick, and the poor

Those who study the Dao must not reject or slight the elderly or the sick. They must not abandon beggars or treat them harshly, and they must not teach others to do so.

Abuse of power and favoritism

They must not use their power to oppress ordinary people or teach others to bully people through influence. They must not favor relatives and associates or teach others to form factions for private gain.

Family and disciples

They must not split from their parents to live in a separate household, nor teach others to do so. They must not angrily scold or harshly rebuke their disciples, nor teach others to treat disciples that way.

Attitudes toward ordinary people

They must not resent or harshly blame ordinary people, nor teach others to resent them. They must not insult people by calling them slaves or animals. They must not tattoo the faces of enslaved people or mutilate their limbs, as was done in ancient corporal punishment. They must not take pleasure in others’ misfortunes or teach others to do so.

Disturbing society and taking on worldly roles

They must not make baseless accusations or needlessly trouble society, nor teach others to do so. They must not serve as ritual officiants for worldly people—conducting funerals or sacrificial rites for profit. They must not choose sites for people to build homes, as in geomancy and site selection. They must not divine worldly fortunes and misfortunes or teach others to tell fortunes or make prophecies.

How to conduct oneself in the world

They must not teach people to shift opportunistically between advancing and withdrawing, or between taking sides and turning against them. They should not mix in with crowds of ordinary people without good reason. They must not seek the favor of the powerful without cause. They must not ride in carriages or on horseback—possibly a warning against luxury and against relying on the status these convey. They must not take what others desire or teach others to do so.

Pursuit of fame and profit

They must not chase popular trends or compete with the world. They must not rush about attending celebratory and mourning gatherings merely to please people and accommodate worldly custom. They must not claim another person’s achievements and reputation as their own merit.

Daily life and conduct

They must not sleep on ornate beds inlaid with gold and jewels, an expression of excessive luxury. They must not pry into other people’s food and drink preferences, often as a way of spying on them or ingratiating themselves. They must not frighten the people or make reckless claims about disasters, nor teach others to do so. They must not startle birds and beasts or drive them into desperate straits. They must not casually frighten the young or the old.

Final precept

They must not show contempt for officials or those in positions of authority.

Background

Rules of this kind come from Daoist precepts and standards for Daoist practice. They emphasize detachment from worldly concerns, avoiding arrogance and cruelty, refraining from divination and omen reading, and not disturbing the people. They accord with early Daoist values of quiet cultivation, avoiding displays of power, and not exploiting enslaved people. The repeated phrase “must not teach others” means that practitioners must both observe the precepts themselves and refrain from teaching disciples or ordinary people to violate them.

The following is a modern plain-language explanation of the precepts for “Daoist practitioners” in the Wushang Biyao (Essential Secrets of the Most High), translated in the order of the original clauses. Specialized terms are briefly explained at first mention.

Daoist practitioners (those who practice Daoist methods) must not take part in worldly disputes over right and wrong; they must not grant favors and then demand repayment, or harbor resentment; they must not indulge in aimless pleasure; and they must not climb tall buildings recklessly.

They must not keep birds or animals in cages, nor teach others to do so; they must not block wells, ditches, or ponds; they must not take pleasure in another person’s bereavement or misfortune; and they must not lay thorny branches across paths, or teach others to do so.

They must not establish shrines to worship deities (this precept forbids setting up shrines and making offerings without authorization), nor teach others to do so; they must not bow to ghosts and spirits, nor teach others to bow to them.

They must not stand naked before the Three Lights—the sun, moon, and stars—or curse the wind and rain; they must not borrow another person’s property and fail to return it to its owner; and they must not encroach on or cut off another person’s means of livelihood.

They must not urge others to do evil, or obstruct anyone from doing good.

On the ritual fasting days of the various heavens (auspicious days for Daoist fasting and recitation), they must not neglect fasting and abstinence or fail to contemplate the Dao. They must not violate the six fasting days observed during the year or the ten fasting days observed each month, and they must not violate the teachings, precepts, and prohibitions set out in the scriptures and ritual codes.

They must not write petitions or legal documents for others to use in lawsuits; they must not publicize another person’s faults; they must not become filled with resentment toward the world because they have believed what others say; and they must not mock people for being ignorant or poor.

They must not arbitrarily add or remove even a single character in the scriptural precepts. A reckless change to one character can harm later students and disrupt the transmission of the teachings (this is the meaning of the original phrase “later generations will not understand”).

They must not show arrogance toward the Three Treasures—the Dao, the scriptures, and the master—or slight the Celestial Worthies. They must not urge anyone to rebel against their ruler or master, or to be unfilial to their parents or hostile toward their siblings.

They must not falsely claim to be exceptional or recklessly call themselves “Realized Ones,” an honorific for those who have attained the Dao; no one may claim this title without having realized the Dao. They must not trust or follow heterodox arts, mixed practices, or teachings founded on false and deviant views.

They must not hoard surplus clothing and possessions; they must not force anyone to study the Dao; and they must not pretend to study without grounding their practice in the scriptures, thereby deceiving people and spirits.

The “Precepts for Contemplating the Body,” ranging from the Five Precepts to a hundred and eighty clauses, include the duties of ruler and subject, father and son. They are called the “Precepts of the Lower Section of the Jade Clarity Wisdom Collection”; there is also a “Precept Collection of the Middle Section of Jade Clarity.”

Daoist practitioners must not expect others to show them respect, and they must not secretly copy another person’s scriptural precepts.

The Supreme Secret Essentials: A Plain-Language Reading of the Precepts of the Upper Origin of Jade Clarity

The following are precepts from the Daoist Canon. They belong to the Precepts of the Middle Origin of Jade Clarity Wisdom (the fifth through the 216th precepts for observing one’s conduct), and prescribe standards of behavior for Daoist practitioners in matters of clothing, speech and conduct, living with others, and enduring humiliation.

Clothing and cleanliness

Daoist practitioners should not wear finely decorated clothing, but should dress in coarse hemp garments. They should not take the seat to teach scripture when their bodies are unclean.

Walking and living with others

When walking with someone, let the other person go first. When practicing with fellow disciples in summer, take responsibility for lighting the fire and preparing meals; in winter, take responsibility for carrying a flask of water. When living with others, follow the arrangements made and do not take matters into your own hands. When practicing with fellow disciples, humbly seek instruction from senior practitioners, and willingly teach and answer questions.

Food and drink

When sharing a meal with others, eat only coarse grains and vegetables. At mealtimes, eat only the food in front of you; do not reach with your chopsticks for food farther away.

Treating others

Among fellow disciples, show respect to those who are more senior and more virtuous. When others treat you badly, do not harbor resentment even if you have been wronged, and never retaliate. When speaking with a woman, do not gaze directly at her face or smile at her. When crossing water with someone, do not look straight at them.

Lost possessions, misfortune, and illness

If you lose something, do not suspect a fellow student or disciple. Attribute the loss to fate, and repent and reflect on your own transgressions. If you often meet with calamities or illness, bow your head in self-reproach and consider how to reform yourself and improve your conduct from now on.

Endurance and renunciation: “Do what others cannot…”

Endure what others cannot endure. Give up what others cannot give up—the things ordinary people are reluctant to relinquish. Wear what others will not wear, including old and worn-out clothes. Eat what others will not eat. Learn what others cannot learn. Accept what others cannot accept. Bear what others cannot bear. Cut off what others cannot cut off.

Points for cultivation

Without scriptures and meritorious deeds, the spirit becomes scattered and the True Qi is difficult to bring into circulation. When the body is unclean, the hun and po souls will depart. When the mind is filled with distracting thoughts, innate purity rises far away and the demon officials will not submit. With a household, the Three Poisons—greed, anger, and delusion—cannot be extinguished, and the Three Real Ones—Jade Clarity, Highest Clarity, and Great Clarity—will not dwell within. Attachment to the body prevents the multitude of desires from passing away, and focused contemplation receives no response. One should empty the mind and become still and calm, facing the Real. One should abide in the Mysterious Spring, the Dantian (energy center), without allowing reckless movement, so that primordial Qi may arise. One should extinguish discriminating awareness and conceal outward perception; then the True Person may be seen.

These precepts emphasize that Daoist practitioners must discipline themselves in clothing, food, conduct, lodging, and dealings with others. Only by enduring humiliation, relinquishing desire, and cultivating with humility and stillness can they come into accord with the Dao.

The following is a modern plain-language interpretation of the entries under “Thoughts to Keep in Mind in the Study of the Dao” in the Wushang Miyao. It explains, in the order of the original, what those who study and practice the Dao should keep in mind.

Those who study and practice the Dao should always bear these thoughts in mind:

First save others, then save yourself: help others before seeking your own deliverance.

Live in a quiet, secluded place in the mountains and forests, and devote yourself to focused study, reflection, and insight.

Be content with a simple life, read the scriptures, and practice the Dao without slackening.

Burn various kinds of fragrant incense, letting its fragrance rise to the heavens and penetrate the realm of demons. Offering incense and purifying a ritual space are common practices in Daoist Zhaijiao (purification rituals).

Among Daoist practitioners of virtue, listen to profound teachings.

Earnestly seek to receive the Three Treasures—the Dao, the scriptures, and the masters, which Daoism holds in reverence—and the Cavern scriptures, the scriptures of the Three Caverns. Devote yourself diligently to practice and make offerings to the Three Treasures.

Build merit by helping others attain deliverance, and do so tirelessly from beginning to end.

Repay the kindness and fulfill the obligations owed to the teachers and friends who have passed on the teachings; never grow slack or neglectful, even until the end of the kalpa.

May peace and purity prevail throughout one’s own country; may the ruler’s Dao-based teachings bring peace, and may everyone follow the Dao.

May neighboring countries each follow their own Dao and keep to their own borders without invading one another.

May the people always enjoy peace and well-being.

Put all things and other people first; do not think only of yourself.

Keep away from improper sacrifices to ghosts and spirits: neither worship recklessly nor show contempt for what is right.

Keep away from heterodox arts beyond the bounds of ordinary practice, and from forbidden or deviant methods.

Keep away from sensual pleasures, song, and dance.

Keep away from people who suddenly resort to supernatural tricks or speak wild and false words.

Honor the roots and uphold the true Dao.

Let what you say accord with what you truly mean, and let what you hold in your heart be true to your conduct: make your words and actions consistent, and your body and mind in accord.

Do not doubt the sacred writings or the rules and methods of the liturgy, including their provisions for additions and omissions; do not alter them on your own authority.

Have no cravings or desires.

Keep yourself pure and upright; uphold the truth and embrace the One.

Keep no distracting thoughts in your heart; abide only in emptiness and stillness.

May every household be at peace and free from suffering.

Think of those in the world afflicted by hardship, bound by guilt, and tormented by distress.

Think of the Son of Heaven as wise and enlightened, spreading the Dao and seeing his household flourish day by day.

Think of the ruler and ministers as capable of spreading the Dao and assisting in governance, and of their continuing to uphold the Dao.

Think of heaven and earth, the sun and moon, the winds and rains, and accumulated snow, each following its proper season.

Think of the kindness and care of your parents, and of the bonds of affinity with them.

Think of your ancestors of seven generations, who have not yet ascended to heaven.

Think of your teacher, who has not yet attained deliverance and ascended—becoming an immortal, realizing the Dao, and escaping the realm of suffering.

Think of your fellow students, who have not yet fathomed the profound mysteries and teachings of the Daoist canon, or its principles and precepts.

Think of like-minded companions teaching one another in turn and guiding one another onto the right path.

Think of the scriptures you recite, and do not act in ways that go against them.

Regard the parents of others as your own parents.

Regard the children of others as your own children.

Value the lives and well-being of others above your own.

In these entries, terms such as “helping others attain deliverance,” “attaining one’s own deliverance,” “ascension,” and “heaven” generally refer, in a Daoist context, to escaping suffering and realizing a higher state. This list of thoughts for practitioners encompasses personal cultivation, offerings in purification rituals, the welfare of family, country, and the world, relations with teachers and fellow students, and the universal deliverance of living beings. It is characteristic of the precepts and contemplative practices of early Daoism.

The practitioner of Daoist cultivation should empathize with others' suffering as if it were their own. Witnessing another's humiliation should feel more painful than enduring personal disgrace.

A cultivator must constantly remind themselves to sever karmic ties from past lives and cut the root of rebirth (the origin of reincarnation), disentangling from worldly familial bonds. Recognize that your tree of mortal life has withered, and your primordial spirit (Shen) shall merge eternally with the Great Void (cosmic origin).

The Daoist should vow: May the paths of the Three Wretched Realms (hell, hungry ghosts, beasts) be closed forever, leaving the hells perpetually empty. Maintain a light diet to nourish the spirit, abandoning rich delicacies. Guard the essential teachings of the Great Dharma, preserving the true primordial Qi within the Three Dantian (upper/middle/lower energy centers). Move through the world with natural harmony, never straining for novelty.

Uphold the Three Treasures (Dao, scriptures, teachers) and their precepts, chanting scriptures without cease. During meditation, visualize the "Feminine Unity" (Daoist deity visualization method) and recite the Dadong Jing (Great Cavern Scripture) as if facing the divine. Nourish aspirations to ascend as an immortal, riding dragons through clouds, while often remembering meetings with teachers and fellow practitioners.

The cultivator should yearn to: witness perfected beings (Zhenren) practicing sacred methods, behold sage-kings governing an age of peace, partake of celestial cuisine's natural flavors without hunger or thirst, dwell with primordial spirits in serene Wuwei (non-action), attended by jade maidens and youths (celestial attendants).

Vow to wander immortal realms in all directions: the Eastern Flowery Grove of Donghua, Western Paradise of An'yang, Northern Sacred Realm of Biluo, and Southern Blessed Land of Tandan. Journey through mystical mountains like Kunlun and Sumeru, discussing scriptures in purification halls.

Ultimately, aspire to pay homage in highest heavens: at Shangqing's Golden Portal before perfected elders, in Yuqing's Seven-Treasure Palace worshiping the Three Primal Sovereigns (highest Daoist deities), at Danxia Palace honoring twenty-four perfected beings. Ascend the Seven-Treasure Jade Capital Terrace to venerate the Celestial Worthy of the Great Ultimate and the Ten Directions' Great Sages. Wander Ziyun Palace paying respects to thirty-nine holy ones, and at the Thirty-Six Heavens' Golden Palaces behold the Celestial Emperor. These cultivation visions must be maintained throughout kalpic cycles.

A Plain-Language Explanation of The Supreme Secret Essentials

1. What to Contemplate in Practice (Visualizing the Realms of the Heavens)

Those who study the Dao should contemplate:

Travel through the Nine Heavens, the highest nine tiers of the celestial realm, to the golden, radiant palace, and pay homage to the Celestial Emperor.

Travel through the palaces and offices of the various heavens, seeking the Dao from the Celestial Emperor and discussing the scriptures with him.

Travel through the Six Heavens’ Seven-Treasure Palace, and behold the Great Demon King, a revered spirit who transforms and saves living beings, appearing to deliver them. Through talismanic registers, have your name entered among the ranks of the immortals, and leave forever the roster of the Netherworld, the underworld’s register of the dead.

Travel through the palaces of the sun and moon, radiant with light. Pay homage to the Kings of the Sun and Moon, and drink the splendor of the sun and moon and the liquid of golden essence.

Travel through the Great Brahma Heaven’s Palace of Flowing Radiance. Pay homage to the Celestial Emperor and listen to the praises sung by the heavenly beings, whose melodies are supremely refined.

Travel through the Seven-Treasure Groves of the heavens, where ever-renewing numinous incense spreads its fragrance. It can be smelled three thousand miles away, even against the wind; lions and flying dragons roar and cry out among the trees.

Travel through the bathing pools of the heavens and sit peacefully upon lotus flowers, surrounded by natural fragrance and purity. The hundreds and thousands of pools in the heavens are all alike, and everyone there is joyful.

Travel through the heavens and listen to the music played by heavenly musicians, free from worldly thoughts and concerns.

Travel through the outer heavens in the ten directions, and pay homage to the great sages and the supreme perfected adepts.

Travel through the boundless Vajra palaces below, and pay homage to the perfected adepts of the Nine Elders.

Travel through the hidden palaces and grotto chambers of the famous mountains of Heaven and Earth, and pay homage to the sages and those who attained the Dao before you.

Take the mind as the Dao, never allowing misguided views or distracting thoughts. Keep the mind empty and the will at ease; do not think or deliberate. Rest in serene elegance and empty stillness.

Contemplate the secret, true names of the heavens, and do not let them pass from my lips.

2. Titles of the Precepts

The Precepts for Contemplating the Body, beginning with the fifth and extending to the three hundredth, belong to the Way of the Most High and Boundless. They are called the Precepts of the High, Supreme Jade Clarity Wisdom of the Upper Origin.

Scripture on the Great Precepts for Contemplating the Body with Grotto-Truth Wisdom

3. The Heavenly Worthy of Primordial Beginning Expounds the Scripture of the Precepts

The Heavenly Worthy of Primordial Beginning said: “The High and Supreme Scripture of Grotto-Truth Wisdom is not proclaimed in the world. Students of the Dao have mostly received it from those who have already become perfected adepts and have seen it. For this reason, it is hard to encounter, and even those who encounter it find it difficult to grasp in full. Thus it is rarely seen in the world.

“These precepts are venerable and precious; they cannot be conveyed in words. Contemplate the deities throughout the human body, at its three hundred joints and points of passage. Let the true spirits depart only in accordance with their proper way, and do not allow demons to test or violate you. Whoever receives and recites these precepts without breaking their prohibitions may become an immortal without further study. Clouds and rosy mists, with a jade chariot, will come of their own accord to welcome you. In broad daylight, you will ascend to Heaven, your body floating through the air.”

The Radiance of the Grotto of Truth shines throughout the ten directions, its perfect light blazing. The Great Void commands all the holy ones in Heaven, and they all revere you. At this time, the six great demon kings of Heaven summon together those who uphold the precepts. The name of the Eastern Florescence Palace, where the supreme immortals of Daoism reside, is linked to the Great Brahma Heaven Palace; the name of the Great Brahma Heaven Palace, in turn, is connected to the Jade Capital’s Golden Towers, on which the ranks of the supreme immortals are inscribed.

The Celestial King of Primordial Beginning said: “Recite the Great Grotto of Truth Scripture ten thousand times, and a cloud chariot will descend to receive you. The Grotto of Mystery Scripture of Numinous Treasure contains passages on overcoming the kalpas. Why, then, do some who cultivate it fail to become immortals, or fail to succeed even after refining the Golden Elixir and its elixirs? It is because they have not cultivated and upheld the Precept of Contemplating the Body with Wisdom. This precept is the most wondrous of all wonders, and its numinous power is supremely exalted. Nine hundred immortals of golden radiance stand in attendance, burning incense. This is the true secret of the Dao: it is not transmitted in writing and should only be recited.”

Those who study the Dao but do not receive this precept will ultimately fail to become immortals. They may create karma and fall into the realm of sensual pleasures; begin with diligence but later grow lax; fail when tested by demons in the mountains or at home; develop aberrant thoughts or doubt the true scriptures; return to secular life and lose all intention to follow the Dao; slight their teachers and companions or insult fellow students; suddenly become mad or dull-witted, with Qi and the channels thrown into disorder, while growing ever more greedy for wealth and sensual pleasure and showing disrespect for the Three Treasures; suffer hardships at home and meet with resentment on all sides; or be troubled by evil dreams, confused thoughts, and spiritual gloom. All these misfortunes arise because the great precept has not restrained and guarded the spirits of the body, allowing the three poisons to rise like floating corpses and disrupt the five organs. The demon kings will not relent; at the Springs of Darkness, one’s name is recorded among the dead, and within the Three Realms one is no more than an immortal in rank.

The Celestial King of Primordial Beginning also said: “This precept was revealed through the numinous immortals. Today, the heavens and the earth, and the immortals of the famous mountains, all uphold and practice it. On every new moon, full moon, and the eight seasonal festivals, on the day of one’s birth year, and on the fasting days of the various heavens, fellow students and teachers enter a chamber and recite the precepts together for one full round. First they bow to the ten directions, making one prostration toward each. When the heavenly beings hear the sound of the precepts being spoken, they too bow. If disciples wish to uphold them, they should prepare five liang of gold as a token to the Five Emperors, ten zhang of crimson silk as a pledge to the ten directions, and an oath to substitute for a husband’s vow made upon laying aside his hairpin. They must not disclose the precepts, and should receive them from a teacher who upholds them. Teacher and disciples should fast together for three days and reflect on the meaning of the precepts. That night, ten lamps should be lit as offerings, their light reaching the ten directions and the great sages of the ten directions, as a sign of my sincerity. If the weather is calm and clear; if, at that time, wind, rain, and thunder rage…”

The Plain-Language Interpretation of the Supreme and Hidden Essentials

If the conditions have not been met, the teaching cannot be transmitted at once. One must fast and observe purification rites again, with even greater reverence and solemnity. Otherwise, the mind will wander, and the spirits will not open the way.

After observing the precepts for nine years, the body will naturally become radiant. The essence of the sun and moon and the cinnabar Qi will arrive of their own accord; the face will glow, spiritual powers will become accessible, and one will share the De of the High Immortals, coming and going without hindrance. To keep this great precept is like washing one’s sash in the Pool of Flowing Waters, or loosening one’s robe on a terrace of seven treasures. One roams above the lotuses, gazes back upon the fragrant forest, and shines with brilliant light. From one kalpa to the next, one eternally enjoys the truth of the Dao.

At noon or midnight on one’s birth-year day, face north and recite the “Great Chapter of the Supreme One’s Circuitous Mystery,” so as to penetrate the ten directions.

The Celestial Emperor of Taiwei said: This precept is called “The Precept of Wisdom for Contemplating the Body.” It is also called “The Numinous Text for Preserving Immortal Potency” and “The High and Supreme Numinous Chapter of Dongzhen for Delivering Life.” Without merit from past lives and blessings accumulated over many lifetimes, one can never encounter this precious secret. The Eastern Florescence’s golden register and jade name will not allow such a person to meet a teacher, either. Those who can put it into practice are destined to become Immortals. To have the scriptures but not the precepts is like trying to cross the sea without a boat or oars, or having a mouth but no tongue: how could one deliver and liberate the countless beings? Scholars do not know to seek the scriptures, much less the precepts. They have not awakened to the root of the true essentials; they remain in a long dream, unaware. This is heartbreaking. All must judge their own capacity: only those able to uphold the precepts may receive them in faith. For nine hundred years, a recipient may transmit them orally to only one person—no more. Otherwise, this is a violation of the precept of secrecy. The offense will reach seven generations of ancestors, bringing confinement and torment in the underworld, and the body will undergo the Three Paths, Five Pains, and Eight Difficulties. At the end of each kalpa, the cycle begins again, and one is reborn on evil paths, ever farther from the Immortals. Enemies and creditors from past lives will gather in time; everyone must take care.

The Celestial Emperor of Taiwei said: Whoever dares to eavesdrop on the transmission of the precepts will be struck by the world’s evil demons. The resulting calamity is inevitable, beyond any doubt. If a disciple who upholds the precepts is alone in a fearsome place in the mountains or forests, they should beat the Celestial Drum fourteen times. Let the mind hold the precept spirit in contemplation, and the precept spirit will protect them. Neither monsters nor demons nor ghosts will dare approach through the threefold barrier. Blessings and virtue will remain constantly with them, and the good spirits of the heavens will each come to their aid. Even enemies and creditors from past lives will first be moved to compassion.

The Essential Secrets of the Most High: A Plain-Language Interpretation

Seeking and Receiving the Precepts

With all my heart, I sought the precepts. Through kalpas of birth and death, the Most High took pity on my Dao mind, and the exalted sage, moved by my tireless pursuit of the Dao, instructed me: “Though disciples study the Dao ever more diligently, if they do not uphold the Great Precepts for Contemplating the Body, how can they become immortals?” So I bowed beneath the Golden Gate. After three thousand days, the Most High bestowed on me the Essential Precepts, which I upheld and practiced. In the ninth year, a cloud chariot came to welcome me, and perfected beings from the Three Realms and the ten directions gathered in the realm of mystery and emptiness. Thus, Daoist study must begin with precepts and discipline; these are the foundation revered by the Daoist tradition. The rites should be learned by recitation until they are fluent. The sages of old kept them secret and did not write them down; those who uphold them today must do likewise, so that the true texts do not leak into the profane world.

The Heavenly Emperor of Taiwei

If one studies the Dao without upholding the Great Precepts for Contemplating the Body, then even reciting scriptures ten thousand times and withdrawing to live in the mountains may offer little hope of ascending to immortality. If one can preserve the precepts within and blend with the world without display, one may come close to the heights of the numinous realm. Those who do not study the Dao will find it difficult to uphold the precepts. If you can keep them fully, I and the Most High of the ten directions will ensure that you ascend to immortality. If you fully observe the precepts, recite the precious scriptures, and wear the great talismans, yet still fail to become immortal, then there is no path to deathlessness anywhere in the world.

It is hard to find the people I speak of among those who seek the Dao today. In these degenerate times, many rely on empty display and fame; few show a true heart of Dao and De. Thus the Three Treasures have fallen into obscurity, and the sages have gone into hiding. Is it because the Dao cannot flourish? If you receive and fully observe the precepts, the perfected sages of the ten directions will appear to you of their own accord. You will become immortal without further study, and the Dao will be fulfilled. These are no empty words—what purpose would empty words serve? I speak this way out of pity for those in the world who are devoted to the Dao. When the conditions and the time come together, may there be someone ready to receive instruction? So strive and persevere. When the immortal Dao is attained, what joy could compare? To roam freely in the capital of the Most High, at ease in the realm of natural spontaneity—this is joy. Before the Most High, ten thousand kalpas have not yet begun; this is what it means. The truth is beyond anything writing can express.

The Perfected Being of the Supreme Ultimate

Long ago, I heard the Most High teach that if one recites and teaches the Three Treasures and the Cavern Scriptures but does not uphold the Great Precepts, how can the many wonders of the immortal Dao ever be attained? That is why these teachings have been passed on only by word of mouth, not set down in writing. In this way, they remain uniquely concealed within the garden of the Three Treasures. Those who lack the auspicious marks of an unsurpassed immortal from former lives will never be allowed to see them. Unless one…

(In commonly circulated editions, the final sentence is often joined to the following passage. Its general meaning is: unless one has an immortal affinity from former lives and can fully uphold the Great Precepts, one cannot enter the secret domain of the Three Treasures.)

Brief Notes on Terms

“Great Precepts for Contemplating the Body” refers to Daoist bodily precepts: contemplating the body and observing the precepts, regarded as prerequisites for becoming an immortal. “Essential Precepts” means the core precepts. A “cloud chariot” is the ceremonial vehicle by which immortals descend to welcome someone. “Blending with the light” means blending into the common world without drawing attention to oneself. “The heights of the numinous realm” refers to the ranks of immortality and the spiritual realms. “Wearing the great talismans” means carrying high-ranking Fulu (talismans and registers). The “Three Treasures” may refer to the Dao, the scriptures, and the master, or to the Cavern Scriptures and related teachings. “Auspicious marks” refers to an affinity with immortality and the requisite natural endowment from former lives.

The accumulated virtue (De) and merits from seven generations of ancestors form a flourishing canopy that shelters descendants, yet these karmic ties ultimately remain worldly attachments. What truly matters is understanding the cultivation precepts taught by the Most High Lord Lao (the supreme deity of Daoism). Those who can uphold these precepts will become Great Masters of the Most High, embodying the fundamental Three Treasures of Dao, scriptures, and teachers. The ten directions of the universe will revere you, and hosts of immortals will guide you to the celestial palace of the Emperor of Eastern Florescence (the deity overseeing immortal registers). Demon kings throughout the three realms and six heavens will erase your name from the registers of death in the underworld, and the ledgers of Mount Tai's underworld ruler (the deity governing life and death) will no longer bear your name. Your immortal name shall be eternally recorded in the Azure Palace (the celestial register), ultimately ascending as a supreme immortal of the Jade Capital Mountain (the highest Daoist paradise) and a True Being of the Most High.

The Great Ultimate Perfected Being (a high-ranking immortal) said: The essential method of Dao cultivation lies in aligning one's conduct with the mysterious precepts while accumulating sufficient virtuous deeds within, for only then can one truly enter the realm of the Great Dao (Dao). Failure to do so is like toiling fruitlessly amid worldly dust, with no benefit to the length or quality of one's life. The Dao resides within oneself—it requires no external seeking. Merely practicing the four virtues of compassion, kindness, forbearance, and yielding already brings one close to the Dao. If one can cultivate the six practices of diligence, sincerity, gentleness, perseverance, exhorting others toward goodness, and abstaining from wine and lust, one becomes a companion of the true Dao. Mastering eight behaviors—not defending oneself when wronged, yielding merit to others, not coveting others' possessions, tolerating unreasonable people without contention, withdrawing from the unenlightened to practice in seclusion, never betraying one's true heart, never violating scriptural precepts, and never reciting scriptures on others' behalf—makes one a friend of goodness.

The Great Ultimate Perfected Being further explained: As essential components of Dao practice, the precepts possess awe-inspiring and mystical power. Fearing that people might not uphold them sincerely, many precepts remain secretly transmitted rather than publicly revealed. Thus, the contents of wisdom scriptures are never fully disclosed to beginners, being passed down orally from master to disciple without casual disclosure. When precepts are expounded, celestial beings throughout the ten directions listen reverently, and spirits bow in respect to what they hear—such is the sacred solemnity of these precepts.

The Great Ultimate Perfected Being concluded: When ancient people cultivated the Dao, their hearts dwelled in mysterious stillness—free from distracting thoughts, their mouths silent, their bodies free from artificial postures, completely self-forgetful and crystal-clear in stillness. Through "sitting in oblivion" (an advanced meditative state), they achieved the true Dao, whereupon cloud chariots would arrive to welcome them. Some ascended riding phoenixes, others soared through the void astride dragons—their entire bodies becoming weightless as they rose to the realm of the Supreme Ultimate (Taiji), moving freely through emptiness without leaving traces, their whereabouts forever beyond mortal sight.

The Supreme Secret Essentials, Volume Forty-Five · A Plain-Language Interpretation

“Those who know me are few; those who follow me are precious.” Few truly understand me, and those able to grasp what I teach are even more precious. This likely refers to the accord and affinity that should exist between teacher and disciple.

The Scripture’s Origins and the Rules for Transmission

Some who took on the role of teacher or friend deliberately laid down rules in obscure and unconventional terms, then fixed them in writing. These are not the orthodox methods of high antiquity, but precepts devised by later students of the Dao.

If you are truly a scholar committed to learning and wish to request a precious scripture, first discern the intentions of the person transmitting it. Once you have fully understood, you should make your declaration and vow before the Most High (the supreme honored one of the Dao), then receive the scripture according to its written text and honor and uphold it throughout your life. This accords with the Great Mysterious Code of the Most High.

If you lack the capacity and virtue to spread the Great Dao, you must take the Seven Generations of Ancestors as witnesses and answer before the Ten Directions. The consequences of treating these rules lightly and violating them are plain to see. So reflect deeply and examine yourself first: can you uphold them for your entire life? How could you take lightly the Three Paths of Hell, the Ten Sufferings, and the Eight Hardships? Reading this is chilling. Worthy and virtuous ones, observe the precepts carefully and heed their prohibitions; blessings will naturally gather. If you betray this commitment, misfortune will naturally follow. Its pain will be felt directly and will be hard to bear even for a moment, let alone through the long passage of many kalpas.

Teachings of the Perfected One of Taiji: Precepts and the Deeds of Ancient Immortals

The Perfected One of Taiji said: Though the final and initial kalpas come and go, the Way upheld by these precepts does not change.

In ancient times, people often transmitted the Dao orally and received it heart to heart. By the time they embodied the Dao and achieved its realization, their deeds might appear clearly or remain hidden from later generations. For this reason, those who came after could scarcely fathom the details of their cultivation. Thus, some people in high antiquity attained the Dao by sitting in stillness, robed, and forgetting themselves; Xuanyuan (the Yellow Emperor) cast a cauldron and a dragon came to receive him. They could therefore see through the Ten Directions and rise beyond the Three Realms. People such as Wang Qiao and Red Pine Master were able to ride purple clouds high into the celestial court; they too belonged to this kind. Their stories cannot all be recorded in detail. These worthy ones are perhaps the sort meant by the saying, “Without learning, one becomes an immortal; the Dao comes to fulfillment of itself.”