《無上祕要》Vol. 37

Wushang Miyao, Scroll 46: Chapter on the Precepts for Ascending to the Mysteries — The Five Precepts for Ascending to the Mysteries

Scripture:

The Most High (a title for the highest revered deities, such as the Supreme Lord Lao) said: “Sexual desire undermines spiritual cultivation and truly must not be indulged. The worthy and foolish, the noble and lowly of the world share much the same desires. Only Daoist practitioners can keep their resolve unwavering, restrain themselves through precepts, and prevent their conduct and thoughts from straying into error. Even amid love and desire, they never turn away from the Way.

How to practice the Five Precepts:

• When you see beauty, profit, splendor, or brilliant colors, use the precepts to cover your eyes.
• When you hear words of praise or blame, or the sounds of the five tones, use the precepts to block your ears.
• When presented with delicacies of every kind, or sweet and fragrant foods, use the precepts to close your mouth.
• When you desire wealth, the Seven Treasures and other rare gems, or unrestrained pleasure, use the precepts to subdue your heart.
• When you recall illicit sexual acts or crave to pursue wrongdoing, use the precepts to turn your intent back.

Those who practice these five things will see their seven generations of ancestors ascend to Heaven; food and clothing will come of themselves; their bodies will attain the state of immortals, and they will ascend to the heavens in broad daylight. Even if they undergo shijie (the separation of body and spirit after death through which one becomes an immortal), they will be reborn and attain perfected status. The worthy should uphold these precepts with utmost sincerity.

Whether men or women, those who cannot put them into practice or are unwilling to receive and uphold them can do nothing about it. I would sooner give someone ten thousand gold pieces than casually disclose these words. Master Daoling (Zhang Daoling, founder of the Way of the Celestial Masters) should choose suitable recipients and teach them; do not reveal this true scripture indiscriminately.

The Lord Daoist of the Most High then chanted this verse:

Where do afflictions arise? They all arise within the body.

The eyes behold splendid, beautiful forms; the ears take in the sounds of the five tones;

the mouth delights in the flavors of the eight delicacies; the heart desires wealth and status;

the intent craves illicit sexual acts, and hands and feet carry them out.

When the five evils are not stopped, retribution awaits after death,

and one is forever cut off from the Way of life; the ghostly soul sinks into the prison of the dead.

When the sentence is served, one leaves that place,

but remains a person without feeling.

Uphold the precepts and do no evil; shut and bar the five gates of the heart:

Let the eyes not look upon alluring beauty; let the ears not take in disturbing sounds;

let the mouth not savor delicious sweetness; let the heart not love wealth;

let the intent form no thoughts of lust, and let hands and feet not act upon them.

When the five evils fall silent and cease, where could retribution come from?

You will be forever joined with the true Way, no longer subject to the officials of the ghostly realm.

Merit accumulates through the precepts; in broad daylight one ascends to the Jade Dawn Heaven.

Using “enemy” as a metaphor:

Regard beauty as an enemy to the eyes, and at first do not wish to see it at all.

Regard sound as an enemy to the ears, and at first do not wish to hear it.

Regard flavor as bitter to the mouth, and at first do not let it delight you.

Regard precious treasures as stones to the heart, and at first do not dwell on them with longing.

Regard illicit sex as a thief to the intent, and at first do not act upon it.

General meaning: The Five Precepts for Ascending to the Mysteries teach that the five gates of the eyes, ears, mouth, heart, and intent must not be stirred by beauty, sound, flavor, wealth, or lust. Only by using the precepts to bar the five desires can one accumulate merit and become an immortal, while one’s seven generations of ancestors ascend to Heaven. Otherwise, the five evils will lead to retribution after death and eternal separation from the Way of life. Zhang Daoling was charged to select suitable recipients and transmit the teachings; they must not be disclosed casually.

Plain-language interpretation

Key principles for cultivation

At first, one may be unwilling to go along with others or follow their ways, yet still mistake level ground for a perilous peak. At first, one may not even be willing to keep one’s steps straight.

Five people travel the same road. At first, none looks askance or gazes toward what is crooked. To be able to do this is what is called “the difficulty within the wondrous.” Once one can pass through this difficulty, filth and obstruction have nowhere to settle. When the body is pure, Shen (spirit) is at peace. Guard the One in the Dantian (energy center); let De (Virtue/Power) arise from within. Only then can one ascend and surge toward the nine heavens.

The Dao (Laojun) says: Those who uphold the teachings and practice the Dao should diligently cultivate themselves. They should persevere in their efforts, observe the precepts for a long time, remain steadfast in focused thought, and hold firmly to true contemplation. They should never fail to keep the Dao in mind. They should cast off evil, delusion, demonic influences, falsehood, lust, and desire, abandoning every kind of wrongdoing so as to embrace the true. This means laboring first and receiving the reward later: transcend the body and become an immortal. The time will come in due course; do not expect to see it immediately.

First: One must not engage in sexual misconduct. When the mind is set on what is improper, Shen is exhausted and Jing (essence) is damaged. The hun-soul and consciousness lose their guard, upright Qi (vital energy) departs, and evil forces come forward to join them.

Second: One must not give way to emotional outbursts and anger. When fury wells up in the heart, the voice bursts out in shouting, cursing, and abuse. This shakes Heaven and Earth, and the spirits no longer protect the body. The true officials within the body report the matter to the Three Heavens, enter one’s name and offenses in the register, and make one forever unable to become an immortal.

Third: One must not harbor poisonous thoughts or feel jealousy toward others. The officials of Heaven and Earth take up their brushes and make reports. They enter one’s name in the black register and conduct an investigation that may lead to death. This is the gravest offense to commit, and its harm extends to one’s descendants.

Fourth: One must not drink alcohol to the point of confusion. It makes the body coarse and polluted, and alters one’s usual character: one no longer honors the precepts, fears the law, respects one’s parents and sovereign, or recognizes one’s own kin. Led on by lust and desire, the hun-soul and consciousness cry out in grief. The Five Spirits are polluted; one curses and raves, rebels, and refuses to obey. Heaven sends calamity, and the body suffers disaster.

Fifth: One must not covet profit or wealth. In the latter age, deceit is widespread and human conduct is corrupt and vicious; people may even plot harm for the sake of advantage. Wealth is an enemy of the body—what use is wealth? If you have something, do not hoard it; instead, sow blessings in the field of merit. An empty hall and a pure room: this is called the home of immortals.

These five prohibitions must not be violated even once. The danger is like walking on ice or stepping into a crumbling house. When guilt is established and retribution comes, one may still fail to awaken. The wise and worthy should take these precepts deeply to heart, whether sitting, standing, waking, or resting.

The above is from Book Seven of the Shengxuan Neijiao Jing.

The Nine Precepts of Shengxuan

The Most High said to Daoling: “Those who wish to admire the Dao and seek to cultivate the Great Vehicle should delight in directing their resolve toward emptiness and nonbeing. They should cultivate themselves in accordance with the precepts, uphold them, and put them into practice. Then the Dao can be established and attained.”

If you uphold these precepts and diligently practice them, Heaven will send the General of the Precepts (a divine protector who guards those who have taken the precepts) and the twenty-four Great Gods of Officials and Soldiers to protect you on either side. They will cut off the evil paths and guide you into auspicious realms. Whatever you do will bring good fortune; you will encounter no calamity or violence. You will quickly be freed from the path of death and swiftly attain the ranks of the immortals. If you grasp the teaching of emptiness and nothingness and understand the meaning of the void, you will surely attain the supreme Dao.

First Precept: The body must not be greedy, cruel, or unrestrained, nor proud, extravagant, or indulgent. The body invites calamity when it gives free rein to itself, delights in evil deeds, and goes too far in wrongdoing; when it adorns itself, craves rich and delicate foods, seeks comfort and ease, and is never satisfied. One does not realize that a single act can put one on the register of offenses, or recognize that the body’s offenses are too numerous to count. Do not violate this precept yourself, and do not instruct others to violate it. Restrain the mind, uphold the precept, and practice it throughout your life. This is the First Precept of the Most High Taiyi.

Second Precept: The mind must not dwell on evil thoughts or intentions, nor on fantasies, conjecture, or desires to obtain things. It must not be clouded by wealth and profit, harbor covetous, poisonous, secret, or treacherous intentions, or scheme in ways that are arrogant and violent. It must not crave rich flavors and remain unsatisfied. One does not realize that a single impulse can ensnare one in the net of offenses, or recognize that the mind’s transgressions are without limit. Do not let such thoughts arise in your own mind, and do not instruct others to indulge them. Restrain the mind, uphold the precept, and practice it throughout your life. This is the Second Precept of the Most High Taiyi.

Third Precept: The mouth must not speak recklessly of good or evil, curse or insult, deceive or lie, or confuse others with falsehood and divisive speech. Do not engage in disputes and lawsuits, sow discord, dwell on other people’s faults, make yourself judge of right and wrong, cause calamities or harm, or stir up trouble without cause. Do not sell or flaunt Daoist teachings, or sing, chant, sigh, or lament for show. Do not crave fine foods and remain unsatisfied. One does not realize that a single utterance can ensnare one in the net of offenses, or recognize that the mouth’s transgressions are without limit. Do not violate this precept with your own speech, and do not instruct others to violate it. Restrain the mind, uphold the precept, and practice it throughout your life. This is the Third Precept of the Most High Taiyi.

Fourth Precept: The hands must not kill living beings. Do not kill creatures that crawl or wriggle, or any beings that have blood. Do not plunder or seize by force, rob or steal, or take what is not yours. Do not take what has been left behind, or what was given in alms; do not wield weapons or engage in unlawful acts. One does not realize that a single act can ensnare one in the net of offenses, or recognize the gravity of offenses committed by the hands. Do not commit such acts with your own hands, and do not instruct others to commit them. Restrain the mind, uphold the precept, and practice it throughout your life. This is the Fourth Precept of the Most High Taiyi.

The Supreme Secret Essentials: A Plain-Language Explanation of the Taiyi Precepts (Precepts Four through Nine)

To conclude the preceding passage: This is the fourth precept of the Most High Taiyi Dao.

Fifth Precept (Precept for the Eyes)

The fifth precept says: Do not let your eyes look upon things that violate the Great Dao, break the law and disorder social norms, or are unjust. Do not covet wealth, honor, and ornamentation. Do not gaze lustfully at women or let their allure fill your sight. Do not let greed run rampant. Do not covet elaborate treasures, lascivious seduction, or improper sights.

The eyes are an outward expression of the heart. They invite all manner of misfortune; calamity, poison, and sin gather through them. The eyes, heart, gaze, mouth, and hands can all bring disaster and misfortune. They are where calamity begins and sin accumulates, the storehouse of wrongs committed by the eyes, heart, mouth, and hands. They must be restrained, subdued, and guarded with care; they must not be indulged.

If you act recklessly without restraint, you will fall into the net of sin and fail to awaken to your own mistakes. Of the sins committed through the eyes, none is greater. You should proclaim the precept for the eyes and urge everyone to follow it. How should one observe this precept? Focus the heart on a single thought; extinguish thoughts and intentions; let intention abide in emptiness, attached to nothing at all. Enter into nothingness and attain the wisdom of the Dao. Gather in your intention, observe the precept, and practice it throughout your life without fail—this is the fifth precept of the Most High Taiyi.

Sixth Precept (Precept for the Ears)

The sixth precept says: Do not let your ears listen to the eight tones and five kinds of music, lascivious and seductive sounds, or false and alluring music that confuses people and brings a state to ruin. Do not listen insatiably out of greed.

If you act recklessly without restraint, you will fall into the net of sin and fail to awaken to your own mistakes. The sin of the ears is likewise very great. Do not transgress through your own ears, and teach others to do the same: gather in your intention, observe the precept, and practice it throughout your life—this is the sixth precept of the Most High Taiyi.

Seventh Precept (Precept for the Nose)

The seventh precept says: Do not let your nose covet fragrant smells and despise foul ones, making reckless distinctions between good and bad by clinging to likes and dislikes about scent.

If you act recklessly without restraint, you will fall into the net of sin and fail to awaken to your own mistakes. The sin of the nose ranks next in severity. Do not transgress through your own nose, and teach others to do the same: gather in your intention, observe the precept, and practice it throughout your life—this is the seventh precept of the Most High Taiyi.

Eighth Precept (Precept for the Feet)

The eighth precept says: Do not let your feet tread on unjust ground or enter places that violate the law. Do not step into wicked, corrupt, or sexually improper settings.

If you act recklessly without restraint, you will fall into the net of sin and fail to awaken to your own mistakes. The sin of the feet also ranks next in severity. Do not transgress through your own feet, and teach others to do the same: gather in your intention, observe the precept, and practice it throughout your life—this is the eighth precept of the Most High Taiyi.

Ninth Precept (Precept for the Mind, Will, and Conduct)

The ninth precept says: Do not let your pure intention run wild or act recklessly as you please. Do not rashly wield the divine instruments of war—that is, use force and weapons of conflict—or attack and defeat opponents unjustly. This depletes Jing (essence), scatters Shen (spirit), and causes the three vital energies to escape. Do not abandon yourself to unrestrained indulgence, without limit or satisfaction.

If you act recklessly without restraint, you will fall into the net of sin, bringing your lineage to ruin and destroying your clan, without awakening to your own mistakes—the same applies to these offenses. Gather in your intention, observe the precept, and practice it throughout your life—this is the ninth precept of the Most High Taiyi.

Notes for Reading the Scripture

• Taiyi: Here, the name of the precept tradition of the Most High Taiyi.
• Three vital energies: Usually refers to the vital essence and energy within the body or throughout Heaven and Earth that sustain life. They dissipate through excessive desire and warfare.
• Gather in your intention and observe the precepts: Draw the mind and intention back under control and truly keep the precepts, rather than merely paying lip service to them.

These precepts follow one another in a single line of transmission: the eyes, ears, nose, and feet govern the senses and the places one enters, while the ninth precept broadly warns against letting the mind and will run wild and against resorting to force and warfare. The essentials of observing the precepts are recognizing one’s faults, awakening to them, teaching others, and gathering in one’s intention to practice the precepts throughout one’s life.

The Precept on Sin and the Ninth Precept of the Great One

The greatest transgression is to break the precepts oneself and then urge or command others to break them. One should gather in one’s thoughts, uphold the precepts, and practice them throughout one’s life. This is the Ninth Precept of the Great One.

(From Scripture of the Inner Teachings for Ascending to the Mystery, scroll nine.)

Precepts of the Cavern of Mystery

The Ten Precepts of the Cavern of Mystery

The Heavenly Worthy said: “Those who can receive and uphold these ten precepts and practice in accordance with the Dharma will be guarded by the celestial officials of the ten directions and will certainly attain the Dao. If worldly entanglements prevent you from keeping all ten, keep nine, eight, seven, six, or even five. Choose the precepts you can uphold and put them into practice. Even upholding just five precepts brings blessings beyond measure. You should encourage all living beings widely. If someone hears them repeatedly but remains unreceptive, continue patiently explaining them in detail, guiding them with care until they awaken.

“First, do not kill; keep living beings in your thoughts.

“Second, do not engage in sexual misconduct or violate another person’s wife.

“Third, do not steal or take wealth that is not rightfully yours.

“Fourth, do not deceive or distort the distinction between good and evil.

“Fifth, do not become intoxicated; reflect on a pure way of conduct.

“Sixth, live in harmony with your kin; do not treat those who are not kin as family.

“Seventh, when you see someone doing good, rejoice inwardly and support them.

“Eighth, when you see someone in distress, help them create blessings.

“Ninth, whatever others do to me, I resolve not to harbor thoughts of revenge.

“Tenth, toward all who have not yet attained the Dao, I harbor neither contempt nor expectations.”

(From Scripture on Subtle Reflection and Settling the Will of the Cavern of Mystery.)

The Ten Good Precepts of the Cavern of Mystery

“First, do not envy those who surpass you, or suppress and obscure the worthy and wise.

“Second, do not drink and give yourself over to excess, defiling the Three Palaces—the brain, heart, and abdomen within the body, or the upper, middle, and lower Dantian, all of which are important in cultivation.

“Third, do not commit sexual misconduct with another person’s spouse or indulge in sensual, improper desires.

“Fourth, do not abandon or mistreat the elderly, the sick, the poor, or those of low status.

“Fifth, do not slander good people or ruin the practice of your fellow cultivators.

“Sixth, do not hoard precious treasures and refuse to give.

“Seventh, do not kill living beings to make offerings to the ghosts and spirits of the Six Heavens, in rites that depart from the true Way.

“Eighth, do not speak carelessly about the scriptures, dismissing them as false.

“Ninth, do not betray your teacher’s kindness or deceive those newly entered into the Way.

“Tenth, hold a single, impartial mind and treat everyone with benevolence and filial respect.”

Make every action grounded and steady. Avoid the ten evils and keep far from blind paths.

The Ten Evil Precepts of the Cavern of Mystery

“First, drink wine and indulge in sexual pleasures, giving free rein to desire.

“Second, secretly harm others in the world and slander Daoist practitioners.

“Third, slight your teacher, despise the Dharma, and show arrogance toward the Three Treasures—the Dao, the scriptures, and the teacher.

“Fourth, steal scriptures and recklessly proclaim the essentials of the Dao.

“Fifth, borrow things without returning them, and deceive and mislead the people.”

Six Through Ten: Prohibitions, from the Dongxuan Wisdom Scripture

Six: Killing living beings out of greed for their flavor, and speaking one way while thinking another.

Seven: Failing in filial duty, repaying kindness with betrayal and acting against what is right, and violating the various prohibitions and precepts.

Eight: Reciting scriptures carelessly, making a commotion, and acting arrogantly.

Nine: Making harsh demands of others and harboring anger toward the Four Assemblies—that is, monastic and lay followers.

Ten: Altering the sounds of scripture at will, damaging sacred texts, disbelieving in destiny from past lives, acting recklessly on impulse, showing contempt for the Four Great Elements—earth, water, fire, and wind, or, in some interpretations, the body and the realm—and failing to keep the Way of life in mind.

The foregoing is from the Dongxuan Wisdom Scripture.

The Ten Precepts of Dongxuan Wisdom

The Celestial Worthy said:

First Precept: Do not be jealous or harbor secret, harmful intentions. Watch your speech, guard against faults, and keep your thoughts within the Dharma—the Daoist teachings and precepts.

Second Precept: Uphold chastity and humility. Refrain from killing and cherish compassion; show kindness and love, rescue living beings widely, and bring refreshment to all.

Third Precept: Uphold chastity, humility, and righteousness. Do not engage in sexual misconduct or theft. Keep compassion in your thoughts, and benefit others at cost to yourself.

Fourth Precept: Do not be ruled by desire or sensuality. Keep your mind from indulgence, remain chaste and vigilant, and act without stain.

Fifth Precept: Speak no evil words and use no ornate or affected language. Be upright within and without, and commit no faults of speech.

Sixth Precept: Drink less alcohol and moderate your conduct. Harmonize your Qi and temperament, do not injure your spirit, and commit none of the many evils.

Seventh Precept: Do not envy those who surpass you or compete for merit and fame. Yield in all matters, step back yourself, and make way for others.

Eighth Precept: Do not criticize the teachings of the scriptures or disparage the sacred writings. Devote yourself wholeheartedly to the Dharma, as though always standing face to face with the divine.

Ninth Precept: Do not provoke disputes or quarrels through speech, or pass judgment on the Four Classes of Beings. Do not cause people and heavenly beings to incur blame or resentment, or harm their spirit and Qi.

Tenth Precept: Let every action and undertaking be guided by equality and single-mindedness. Bring harmony among people and peace among spirits, and make this your constant way of conduct.

The Twelve Encouraging Precepts of Dongxuan Wisdom

The Celestial Worthy said: Those who study, undertake purification, seek the Dao, guide and deliver beings in heaven and on earth, and perform good works should observe the twelve encouraging precepts.

First: When you encounter a true scripture that reveals the teachings and guides all beings toward liberation, awaken the intention to follow the Dao and aspire to attain the rank of a great sage in a future life.

Second: Always act with compassion and keep all beings in your thoughts. May they all come to see the Dharma and be guided far and wide, free from every obstruction.

Third: Delight in the profound reach of the scriptural teachings. Study them until you grasp their meaning and your resolve is firm and clear, then enlighten and transform the ignorant.

Fourth: Honor and receive your teacher’s instructions. Spread encouragement and guidance widely, leading people into the Dharma gate and away from deluded paths.

Fifth: When you see an orphan, an elderly person, someone who is ill, destitute, distressed, or in danger, give rise to compassion and continually offer rescue and protection, helping them find release from hardship.

Sixth: When you see people who uphold the precepts, recite scriptures, sit in meditation, and maintain their discipline, give rise to reverence and continually make offerings, helping them attain success.

Seventh: When you see people who violate the precepts, break the Dharma, or slander the Dao, give rise to pity and continually guide and enlighten them, helping them repent and change.

Eighth: When you see people engaged in lawsuits, conflict, quarrels, or disputes, give rise to a wish for harmony and continually urge them to reconcile, helping them live in peace.

Ninth: When you see people who are greedy, miserly, and unwilling to give, give rise to generosity and continually encourage them to share, helping them practice giving.

Tenth: When you see people with erroneous views, followers of non-Daoist paths, or those who disbelieve in cause and effect, give rise to right-mindedness and continually explain and illuminate the truth, helping them attain right view.

Eleventh: When you see people undertaking purification, practicing the Dao, and performing good works, give rise to a wish to assist them and continually protect and support them, helping them succeed.

Twelfth: When you see people who violate purification, abandon the Dao, or commit evil acts, give rise to a resolve to uphold the precepts and continually restrain them, helping them repent and change.

Note: In commonly circulated versions, the text includes the fifth through twelfth “encouraging precepts” between “the fourth” and the section titled “The Twelve Encouraging Precepts of Dongxuan Wisdom.”

Wushang Miyao (Supreme Secret Essentials): A Plain-Language Interpretation

Articles Five through Twelve: Guidelines for Cultivation

Article Five: Sincerely believe in and honor the mysterious and wondrous Great Dao. Follow the scriptures and essential instructions, reciting and practicing them morning and evening without ever growing lax or weary.

Article Six: Do not pursue worldly splendor and wealth. Sever worldly entanglements, focus your mind and settle your resolve, and ensure that all your actions accord with the Dao and its teachings.

Article Seven: Diligently recite the scriptures of the Great Dao and hold the wish to bring salvation to all living beings. Build bridges far and wide—as a metaphor for doing good and guiding living beings—and accumulate good affinities for future lives.

Article Eight: Always keep a kind heart. Be neither treacherous nor deceitful; do not envy or harm others. Harbor no malice or jealousy.

Article Nine: In every life into which you are born, may you be born in an age of sage rulers, repeatedly encounter the Lingbao teachings and practices, and have the opportunity to cultivate the Dao.

Article Ten: Keep yourself pure and observe the precepts. Practice purification and perform meritorious deeds, widely saving living beings so that all may attain deliverance and liberation.

Article Eleven: Study widely, understand and promote the teachings of your fellow practitioners, and form ties with the celestial and human realms in advance, so that all living beings may be opened to salvation.

Article Twelve: May you often encounter an enlightened master and follow them from life to life, receiving instruction and spreading the teachings. May you transform and save countless living beings, and may all people of kind intent attain true realization.

Superior Precepts for Guarding the Six Sensations through Wisdom

The “six sensations” are the desires stirred by the six faculties of sight, hearing, smell, taste, touch, and mind. To “guard” them means to restrain them and not indulge them.

First Precept: Do not let your eyes roam recklessly or be disturbed by dazzling sights, lest you dissipate Jing (essence) and Qi (vital energy), damage your eyesight, and cloud your mind and spirit.

Second Precept: Do not listen indiscriminately or let mixed sounds and the five tones disturb you, lest you injure Shen (spirit), undermine what is upright, and become immersed in vile sounds and mournful cries.

Third Precept: Do not crave strong fragrances or be disturbed by miscellaneous odors and foul smells, lest turbid Qi enter the body and leave body and spirit impure and unsettled.

Fourth Precept: Do not crave flavors or indulge in rich, greasy foods and fragrant seasonings, lest turbid Qi flow into the five viscera and leave the organs agitated and distressed.

Fifth Precept: Do not use your hands to commit wrongdoing, steal others’ possessions, or greedily take profit for yourself; otherwise, calamity may befall you without your realizing it.

Sixth Precept: Harbor no lustful desires and do not let the five spirits—the spirits associated with the five viscera—be disturbed, lest you injure Jing and lose Qi, causing illness in the body and confusion in the mind.

Superior Great Precepts for Deliverance from Life and Death through Wisdom

First: If you see someone destitute and on the brink of death or disaster, help them escape their hardship. If you see that the world is governed with clarity, help subdue the violent and rebellious. Then your lifespan will be long, and you will enjoy boundless good fortune in this life.

Second: If you see someone impoverished, deprived, hungry, and cold, give from your own means to help them, enabling them to prosper. Your blessings will multiply ten thousandfold, and you will live in peace and happiness life after life.

Third: When any living creature with blood and breath faces urgent danger, open a way for it and offer aid so that it escapes death. Then you will enjoy health and strength in this life, and avoid sudden disaster and ill retribution.

Fourth: Show kindness to birds, beasts, and other living creatures. Give up some of your own food to relieve their need, without reluctance. Then you will be well fed in every life and dwell continually in a blessed place.

The “superior precepts” and “superior great precepts” are advanced precepts in the stages of Daoist cultivation. “Lingbao teachings and practices” refers to the teachings transmitted by the Lingbao school. “Practicing purification” refers to observing a vegetarian fast and performing purification rites. “Opening the way to salvation” means making salvation possible and saving living beings. “Attaining true realization” means cultivating oneself into a perfected person and realizing the Dao.

Fifth: Deliver all sentient beings, however small or lively, from suffering and help each attain fulfillment. Let none meet premature death or injury; may they prosper in this life and avoid sudden disasters and accidents.

Sixth: Always cherish compassion, pity and relieve all beings, release living creatures, and perform rites to deliver those near death. Such merit is weighty: it can bring safety amid danger in this life, recovery from illness, relief from poverty, and success in one’s pursuits.

The Supreme Grade Great Precepts for Encouraging and Aiding the Ten Good Acts of Wisdom

(from the Scripture of Supreme Wisdom of the Cavern Mystery)

First: Encourage people to honor the Three Treasures and make offerings to Dharma masters. This can lead them, life after life, to become exemplary people who honor their elders, possess outstanding intelligence, attain high status, and see their family lines flourish.

Second: Encourage people to copy scriptures. This can make them intelligent and widely learned in every life, often encountering an enlightened age, gaining access to scriptural teachings, and being able to recite passages.

Third: Encourage people to establish purification retreats and make offerings in purity. This can bring them noble households in every life, ascent to Heaven, clothing and food provided naturally, and a life often abiding in Wuwei (non-action).

Fourth: Encourage people to give oil for lamps and aid those in need. This can make their bodies fragrant and pure, their faces radiant, and their bearing exceptional in every life.

Fifth: Encourage people to offer Dharma robes to Dharma masters. This can make them refined and grounded in the Dao in every life, and ensure they are born in China (the Central Plains), not in a remote borderland. Men and women will be upright in appearance, adorned with caps and jade pendants.

Sixth: Encourage people to fulfill their duties of loyalty and filial piety, serve their rulers, honor their parents, and care for their people. This can bring them many descendants in every life; their sons and daughters will be virtuous and learned, and they will not undergo the many forms of suffering.

Seventh: Encourage people to observe purification and abstinence, keep themselves pure, and recite scriptures. This can prevent them from falling into hell in every life and let them rise straight to Heaven, pay their respects to the assembled sages, and quickly regain their former form and be reborn. They will be born into royal families and have whatever they desire, with all the garments and possessions they could wish for. Their seven generations of ancestors will rejoice together; all good affinities will come together; and they will enjoy peace from beginning to end. As the wheel of the Dharma turns and its arrival draws near, they will attain the Dao of the immortals.

Eighth: Encourage people to support Daoist practitioners in studying and cultivating scriptural teachings. This can make them intelligent and discerning in every life, dignified in both action and stillness, and often teachers to others.

Ninth: Encourage people to give generously and to remonstrate—that is, to urge others to do good and refrain from evil. This can bring long life and prosperity in every life, free from resentment and distress.

Tenth: Encourage people to cast off jealousy and desire and practice every good deed. This can bring peace and happiness in every life, with no calamity or disorder arising. Illness will heal of itself; official rank will rise; they will be admired by all; good fortune and protection will always be with them. Their households will be pure and noble; Heaven’s people will cherish them, spirits and demons will respect and yield to them, and they will often be born in blessed lands.

The ten precepts above come from the Scripture of Supreme Wisdom of the Cavern Mystery.

Precepts of the Cavern Spirit

(a category of precept teachings belonging to the Cavern Spirit section).

Emperor Lilü, an ancient ruler who transmitted scriptures in Daoist legend, said: “On the day you receive the scriptural precepts, all of you should work together with one mind and diligently put them into practice without delay.”

He therefore gave this solemn instruction again and again: “Receive them with a sincere heart.

“The First Precept: Clearly understand causes and conditions—the law of cause and effect and the opportunity to cultivate the Dao. Do not forget the roots and chase after the branches.

“The Second Precept: Firmly uphold freedom from selfishness. Do not harm others or other things for your own gain.

“The Third Precept: Diligently cultivate and practice. Do not drift carelessly among worldly conventions and lose the true Dao.

“These three supreme precepts are treasured by the August Sovereign, upheld by the Supreme Emperor, and cultivated by those of the highest attainment. If you cultivate and uphold them completely, without violation, the three Qi and their righteous spirits will descend and unite with you as the spirit within your own body. Then one and two are not two—the essence and its function are as one. You will attain the Dao and endure forever, and be called the Most High. If you do not follow these precepts or wear the talismanic writings, your labor will bring no result, and you will not be a disciple of the Most High.”

The Five Precepts of the Cavern of Spirits

The Yellow Emperor said: “If people do not uphold the precepts, the officers and troops—the divine generals who protect the Dharma—will not attach themselves to their bodies, and whatever they gain will have no effect; they will have labored in vain. If you do not believe in the highest Dao or serve your teacher, yet wish the officers and troops to protect your body and preserve your life, ward off death and bring about rebirth, dispel illness and prolong your years, remove calamities and relieve hardship for others, practice inner contemplation and seek subtle truths, and obtain results by a set date, then you should receive the Five Precepts:

“The First Precept: Do not covet the five colors with your eyes. Pledge yourself to the orthodox teaching and study in pursuit of long life.

“The Second Precept: Do not covet the five tones with your ears. Be willing to hear good words and do not follow heretical delusions.

“The Third Precept: Do not covet the five fragrances with your nose. Use ritual incense to drive away foulness.

“The Fourth Precept: Do not covet the five flavors with your mouth. Practice fetal breathing, a method of regulating the breath centered on fetal breathing, and abstain from harmful speech.

“The Fifth Precept: Do not covet the five colors of elaborate clothing. Embrace diligent labor and follow the Dao.

“These are the Five Precepts. Each of the Five Elder Emperor Lords dispatches fifteen spirits to guard and protect the bodies of those who receive and uphold them.”

The Eight Precepts of the Cavern of Spirits

The Yellow Emperor said: “Once, while I was dwelling quietly, the Most High descended and asked me about the precepts of the scriptures, their greater and lesser forms, and their beginning and end. Although I had received and upheld them, there was much I did not understand, and I had not fathomed their order. I explained everything to the Most High.

“The Most High replied: ‘All precepts and rules are meant to be practiced together. Their varying degrees of urgency, complexity, and rank each have their meaning. They accord with the mysterious source and the transformations that generate the numbers. All develop gradually in relation to one another: three and five, eight and nine, tens, hundreds, thousands, and tens of thousands. Though each person follows what their circumstances allow, none should skip ahead or omit steps. If you understand causes and turn toward the correct teaching, and cultivate long life and deathlessness, you should combine the practice of three and five and receive the Eight Precepts:

“The First: Study and understand the five forms of completeness and the five virtues.

“The Second: Diligently practice the five matters and remain steadfast.

“The Third: Bring the eight forms of correctness into balance, and time your actions and withdrawal to accord with the proper moment.’”

Plain-Language Interpretation of The Supreme Secret Essentials

Fourth: Understand how the “Five Cycles” coexist with Qi.

Fifth: Examine the “Supreme Pole” closely, so that those above and below may be in harmony.

Sixth: Cultivate the “Three Intentions,” with the hope of meeting the Three Pure Ones (Sanqing).

Seventh: Resolve doubts and transform the false into the true.

Eighth: Examine and verify signs and results, dispel calamity and bring down blessings, refine the ordinary and ascend to sagehood, and remain true to the Three Pure Ones—these are the Eight Precepts.

Anyone with the intention of learning the Dao and seeking deliverance from the world must first be able to observe the precepts. The precepts must be understood clearly and practiced smoothly, without obstruction. They are not a matter of quantity: their foundation lies in Great Nonbeing, Great Emptiness, and Great Void (in Daoism, emptiness and non-action are the foundation of the precepts). By upholding the root and attending to its consequences, external evils naturally disappear and inner afflictions do not arise.

One must also first practice purification (cleansing body and mind in accordance with liturgical rites); only after purification can one communicate with the spirits, and invocations will then take effect swiftly. If dust and grime have accumulated over a long time, they must be continually washed away. They cannot be expelled all at once in secret: even if one forms this intention, the grime will not disappear, and demons will come to harass one, increasing calamities and blame. Guard against this failing by progressing gradually through the precepts. Observe as many as your abilities allow. If you transgress, confess and repent, reform, and begin anew; if you conform, continue advancing, and attainment of the Dao will come in time.

(From the Dongshen Jing)

The Five Precepts of Zhengyi

To maintain the One and guard the Five Spirits, one must rectify the heart. The heart is rectified through stillness. Stillness steadies the body; when the heart is steady, awareness becomes clear. Clear awareness allows one to comprehend the Dao; comprehending the Dao brings the spirit into accord with it. Such a person is called a True Sage.

If one becomes agitated, one forgets the One and disrupts the Five Spirits. The Five Spirits become confused, restless, and vexed; one loses the Dao and sinks into worldly ways. The three forms of action run unchecked: one turns from good and creates evil, the six spiritual powers become blocked, the seven forms of awakening grow dim, and desires multiply without end. These endless desires arise thought after thought and cannot be fully described. In general, there are five:

First, the eyes desire to see the five colors; when color overwhelms them, the Hun soul grows weary.

Second, the ears desire to hear the five tones; when sound becomes excessive, the Po soul suffers.

Third, the nose desires to smell the five fragrances; when fragrance is overpowering, Jing flows away.

Fourth, the mouth desires to savor the five flavors; when flavors abound, Shen becomes clouded.

Fifth, the body desires to indulge its five limbs; when the body grows lax, the will scatters.

When the will scatters, the spleen is harmed. When Shen is clouded, the heart becomes disturbed and the mouth loses its sense of taste. When Jing flows away, the kidneys grow weak and the mind becomes confused and restless. When the Po soul suffers, the lungs are damaged and hearing is lost. When the Hun soul grows weary, the liver is exhausted and sight is lost. When all five become confused and darkened, the body is destroyed and life ends; when all five are purified and bright, the body remains whole and life endures.

Long life comes from observing the precepts—those who can keep the Five Precepts may attain longevity:

First, practice benevolence and compassion: cherish life and do not kill; release living beings and guide them toward transformation. Turn inward to contemplate the wondrous gate, and keep the eyes fixed upon it for a long time; then the liver and Hun soul will dwell in harmony.

A Plain-Language Explanation of Wushang Miyao

Second, cultivate “righteousness”: promote good and punish evil, yield humbly, and avoid contention. Commit no theft in either public or private affairs. Along with this, learn to understand the subtle sounds, so that the lungs and the Po (the bodily spirit associated with the lungs) may nourish one another.

Third, cultivate “propriety”: respect the elderly and care for the young, allowing Yin-Yang Qi to become still and turn inward. Remain chaste and upright, and do not indulge in sexual desire (this corresponds to the precept concerning the “mouth”). When the Dharma dew is abundant, the heart and Shen (heart spirit) unite in harmony.

Fourth, cultivate “wisdom”: guide the ignorant and learn from the sages. Drink alcohol in moderation, without becoming muddled or disorderly. Along with this, bring the kidneys and Jing (kidney essence) into harmony so that they do not dissipate.

Fifth, cultivate “trust”: keep faith without wavering and hold fast to the “One” of the Great Dao. Let it be effective in both hidden and visible circumstances. Allow no doubt to arise in the heart, and never forget the root from beginning to end. The spleen and the Zhi (will, or intentional spirit) support and fulfill one another. Once this is accomplished, one’s name may be entered in the register at the gate of Zhengyi (Orthodox Unity, the Daoist tradition). Once admitted to Zhengyi, one need no longer suffer from worry and fear.

When the five desires have been cast away, the five evils will naturally disappear; the five calamities will be extinguished forever, and one will be free from the five forms of suffering for a long time. When the five spirits have been settled, the five forms of goodness will naturally arise, the three blessings will steadily increase, and the five joys will continually renew themselves.

(The passages above come from the Zhengyi Fawen, the precept and liturgical texts used by the Zhengyi tradition.)