Chiyang Daoren, Eastern Taoism
The “Nine Perfect Precepts,” also called the “Nine Wondrous Perfect Precepts,” are precepts kept by the dead. They were proclaimed by the Divine Lord of the Nine Heavens in person: those who wear and honor them ascend to the Nine Heavens, while those who treat them lightly fall into the Nine Earths.
According to chapter 6 of the Wondrous Scripture of the Northern Emperor’s Divine Incantations for Subduing Demons (Beidi Fumo Shenzhou Miaojing), the precepts are: first, be respectful and yielding, and care for your parents with filial piety; second, be diligent, and be loyal to your sovereign; third, do not kill, but compassionately save all living beings; fourth, do not commit sexual misconduct, but keep yourself upright in dealing with things; fifth, do not steal, but uphold righteousness even at your own cost; sixth, do not give way to anger, bullying others with fury; seventh, do not deceive, flattering and scheming to harm the good; eighth, do not be arrogant, slighting the Perfected; ninth, do not be divided, but keep the precepts with single-minded devotion.
Chapter 20 of the Corpus of Taoist Ritual (Daofa Huiyuan) records: “The Nine Perfect Precepts are proclaimed to the souls of the departed; if they keep the precepts with a focused heart, they can attain the wondrous Tao.”
The Great Rites of the Jade Hall of the Three Heavens of the Supreme Mysterious Origin (Wushang Xuanyuan Santian Yutang Dafa) says: “If people of the world can receive the Nine Wondrous Perfect Precepts and wear the precious tablet of salvation from suffering and long life, then while they live they will receive blessings and enjoy long life; and when their allotted span is exhausted, they will not enter the cycle of rebirth but will ascend directly to the Cinnabar Heaven.”
The Taoist Scripture of Food Bestowal in the Hall (Suitang Shishi Jing) says: “The first precept: the eyes do not look wantonly; the second precept: the ears do not listen wantonly; the third precept: the nose does not smell wantonly; the fourth precept: the mouth does not speak wantonly; the fifth precept: the hands do not act wantonly; the sixth precept: the feet do not tread wantonly; the seventh precept: the body does not kill wantonly; the eighth precept: the mind does not covet wantonly; the ninth precept: the heart endures like the earth.”