《唐太古妙應孫真人福壽論》

This Treatise on Blessings and Longevity by the Tang Dynasty's Ancient and Wondrous Master Sun explores the relationship between human fortune/misfortune and moral conduct:

Sages (those of supreme moral cultivation) embody the Dao (the Way) without reckless action; virtuous individuals understand the roots of calamity without self-deception; enlightened persons perceive destiny without forcing outcomes. The sincere maintain their innate nature in tranquil adherence to the Dao, the benevolent uphold virtue with integrity and prudence, while scholars preserve humility and reverence. Ordinary people act in confusion, fools cling stubbornly to their ways without fear, and petty individuals defy the Dao through constant reckless behavior.

Blessings accumulate through good deeds, while disasters manifest as retribution for wickedness. In truth, spirits and deities cannot directly inflict misfortune or bestow fortune—rather, excessive wrongdoing depletes one's lifespan. When the wealthy abuse power, they transgress their proper measure; when the poor gain through flattery or theft, they violate righteousness. All such acts are recorded by the divine, though humans remain unaware.

The scripture reveals that within the human body reside myriad spirit-deities (Daoism teaches that bodily functions are governed by numerous inner deities), while the Three Corpses and Nine Worms (three malevolent spirits and nine parasitic creatures in Daoist physiology) record good and evil deeds for celestial reporting. The underworld's ledgers of life and death also maintain these accounts. The ignorant suffer from depleted spiritual Qi (vital energy), whereas sages overflow with divine vitality. Yet deities do not claim lives for minor transgressions.

Sudden demotions, dismissals, or mysterious illnesses often stem from misconduct. Those who act improperly yet survive do so because their allotted lifespan and blessings remain unexhausted; those who behave virtuously but die young have simply reached their predestined end. The poor often enjoy longevity while the wealthy frequently meet early deaths—the former preserved by life's hardships, the latter diminished by extravagance, perfectly illustrating how "the Dao of heaven reduces excess to supplement deficiency."

Those who perish from cold and hunger, left unburied in wilderness, invariably harbor crooked hearts. Deficient virtue begets poverty, while deficient conscience invites death—such self-destruction renders them unworthy to exist between heaven and earth.

The text concludes by enumerating transgressions beyond proper measure: undeserved official positions, carriages exceeding one's station, excessive concubines (all constituting unvirtuous excesses), oversized residences, and disproportionate wealth.

This scripture discusses the dangers of "overstepping one's bounds" (feifen), meaning that forcibly seeking things beyond one's rightful portion will inevitably invite calamity. Here's a modern interpretation in sections:

Regarding improper pursuit of official positions and emoluments: Obtaining government posts through unethical means (such as bribery), occupying high positions despite lacking virtue (De), or greedily seizing salaries through impatience. Such forcible acquisition of undeserved gains will certainly bring disasters, illnesses, or even death. The deities record these actions, though people remain unaware.

Concerning improper treatment of horses and carriages: Being stingy when purchasing horses yet demanding fine steeds, failing to feed them properly, overworking them with whipping, driving them without restraint, ignoring their exhaustion, and showing no compassion for difficult journeys. Though horses cannot speak, when their strength is exhausted, even Heaven takes pity. These transgressions are likewise recorded by the deities.

About improper relations with wives and concubines: Lusting after excessive beauty inevitably leads to extravagant spending and decadent indulgence. Accumulating gold and jewels only to waste them, hoarding silks until they become tiresome, gorging on delicacies until they grow stale. What others find difficult comes easily to such a person; what others consider hardship brings them pleasure. This too is overstepping proper bounds.

Regarding improper treatment of servants: Treating good servants as worthless, confusing right and wrong, showing no mercy for their toil, denying them happiness, disregarding their suffering through heat and cold, ignoring their illnesses and hardships, arbitrarily beating and humiliating them without distinguishing between close and distant relations. The deities similarly record these misdeeds.

Concerning improper housing: Building vast mansions despite having few family members, underpaying and exploiting craftsmen, constructing useless residences with ill-gotten wealth, and decorating with extreme extravagance. Completely lacking understanding of the principle of contentment with simplicity—this too constitutes overstepping bounds.

About improper accumulation of grain and cloth: Cultivating vast fields yet making harvests burdensome, imposing heavy taxes on farmers while hoarding enormous stores that remain undistributed for years. Eventually attracting thieves and vermin, the granaries become traps of debt. This also represents improper excess.

Regarding improper clothing and food: Continuing to acquire garments when already having more than can be worn, filling chests and cabinets to overflowing while leaving the poor to shiver in cold. The deities record these actions, though people remain oblivious.

The core message of this scripture warns people to remain content within their proper bounds and avoid excessive greed. Even if temporarily successful, such behavior ultimately invites disaster. The deities secretly record all human actions.

This scripture contains the teachings of Tang dynasty Daoist master Sun Simiao (venerated as "Marvelous Response Perfected Person" in Daoism) on the path to blessings and longevity. It explains how transgressing one's proper station and indulging in insatiable greed invites calamity, while accumulating virtuous deeds (De) preserves fortune and lifespan.

The text identifies several types of "improper conduct" (exceeding one's rightful measure):

1. Regarding clothing: While the poor lack adequate garments, one hoards fine clothes until moths and rats destroy them rather than sharing—such behavior is recorded by the divine spirits.

2. Regarding food: Demanding rare delicacies for every meal with musical entertainment, wasting more than consuming. When the poor struggle for coarse grains, the wealthy discard greasy food indiscriminately, even having servants throw it in the mud.

3. Regarding business: Seeking exorbitant profits through unethical means—underpaying suppliers while overcharging buyers. Such ill-gotten wealth brings misfortune.

Master Sun explains that human mortality often stems not from illness, but from accumulated unkind and unvirtuous deeds that invoke divine reckoning. By reforming faults, cultivating kindness, and showing compassion, one's virtue (De) penetrates the unseen realms (the underworld), extending lifespan. Otherwise, misfortunes multiply while life shortens.

Ill-gotten wealth appears abundant, but provokes family disputes—burdening elders above and harming descendants below. Such riches prove as fleeting as floating clouds. Those who secretly perform good deeds without deception are known to sages, protected by worthies, beloved by heaven, cherished by people, and revered by spirits. They maintain lasting prosperity, avoid calamity, preserve life, and fulfill their natural lifespan.

The text particularly emphasizes: What is forcibly obtained brings disaster; what comes through proper measure brings auspiciousness; what is received through humility brings blessings. It teaches people to abide by their proper station and widely accumulate "hidden virtue" (unseen good deeds performed without seeking recognition).