A Taoist patriarch once said: “Those who study the Tao without keeping the precepts have no chance of being entered in the true registers.” Strictly observing the Taoist precepts is the precondition for a Taoist believer attaining the Tao and becoming an immortal. Looking at the history of Taoism’s development, the role of the precepts cannot be overlooked: each rise and fall of Taoism has, to some degree, been bound up with the rise and fall of its precepts. Precepts and monastic rules are especially important in the management of Taoist temples and monasteries, and are an important means by which Taoism strengthens itself. At the same time, Taoist precepts should also adapt to modern society. With the rapid development of the market economy, some unhealthy values in society may also affect certain temples and Taoist priests. In the new era, Taoist precepts and rules also need to be continually improved, so as to provide those cultivating the Tao in modern society with a strong ideological safeguard and a suitable space for cultivation.
Taoism in Xianyang, Shaanxi, has a long history, and many eminent Perfected have gathered there. Now the Xianyang Taoist Association, carrying on the immortal norms left by the patriarchs, drawing on the proclamations of monastic rules of sister Taoist associations, and taking into account the actual circumstances of Taoism in Xianyang, has drawn up the Proclamation of Monastic Rules of Xianyang Taoism. It strives to rectify Taoist conduct, make the purpose of the Tao clear, and cultivate the heart of the Tao; to combine the Taoist precepts and rules with the practice of faith; and to lead every Taoist to follow consciously Taoist principles of thought, norms of conduct, and precepts and monastic rules, so that it plays its proper role in building the religious conduct of Taoism throughout the city.
The proclamation has now been formally promulgated and put into effect in the Xianyang area. As a next step, we also plan to distribute it to the temples of Xianyang in the form of stone inscriptions and rubbings, so that it is truly carried out and truly takes effect. Facing a rapidly developing contemporary society, the Taoist community must persist in building faith and building Taoist conduct, for this bears on the survival and development of Taoism. Only by establishing right faith and strictly keeping the Taoist teachings can a good Taoist character be established; only by acting in accordance with the rites and keeping the precepts can the management of temples be strengthened and Taoist activities be better carried out.
Proclamation of Monastic Rules of Xianyang Taoism, Shaanxi
The Most High established the teaching and thus opened the gate of clarity and stillness; the patriarchs opened their altars and so gave weight to the norms of rules and measure. Those who seek a clear heart and a still mind must tread the measure and follow the rules. Thus fine jade becomes a vessel only through deep cutting and polishing; pure gold, melted again, relies entirely on thorough forging. Since ancient times Xianyang has produced immortal after immortal, with feathered guests as numerous as clouds. Now, in a prosperous age, with sound government and a harmonious people, we should greatly invigorate the mysterious tradition and widely expound the teaching. Because keeping the precepts is the root of cultivating perfection, these monastic rules are established, and the Taoist community shall respectfully carry them out.
Guiding Principles of the Great Tao
1. Revere the Tao and honor virtue; aspire to the mysterious tradition; respect the patriarchs and serve heaven; diligently spread the teaching.
2. Attain emptiness and guard stillness; be indifferent to fame and gain; cast off greed and restrain desire; be true to the One and undivided; seek the key to the original source of life, and preserve a state of pure yang ever bright.
3. Be compassionate and value life; diligently cultivate nature and life; inwardly, transcend the ordinary and enter sagehood; outwardly, accumulate merit and virtue.
4. Be selfless and practice non-action, in accord with the heart of heaven; carry out teaching and transformation well, according to naturalness; hold in your heart all beings of the Three Realms.
Norms of Precepts and Conduct
1. Keep to the times for rising and for stillness; worship the patriarchs devoutly; do not slacken in the morning and evening liturgy; practice with concentration and do not be idle.
2. When lodging as a wandering Taoist (guadan) at other temples, observe the rules of that temple and conduct yourself with measure.
3. Keep your Taoist dress neat and your cap and headscarf dignified, with a pure and elegant bearing; when entering a hall, keep reverence and awe in your heart; in dealing with others, be full of courtesy.
4. When serving in the halls or taking your seat at meals, do not talk loudly, joke, or horse around; do not jostle with your elders for precedence; do not whisper about others’ faults. Devote yourself wholeheartedly to the work of the Tao, shake off the toil of the world, and let no deluded thought arise throughout the twelve double hours of the day.
Precepts and Monastic Rules
1. Any new novice who has left home less than a year, has not yet undergone the capping ceremony and formally taken a master, and cannot endure keeping the religious rules shall be advised to leave.
2. Whoever oversleeps and does not rise when stillness ends, or does not put out the lamp when stillness begins, shall be punished by kneeling for the length of an incense stick.
3. Whoever, without good reason, is absent from the hall for scripture recitation and litanies of repentance, or recites and worships without reverence, shall kneel for the length of an incense stick.
4. Whoever, in charge of a shrine hall, soils the incense and lamps or profanes the gods so that the altar becomes unclean shall kneel for the length of an incense stick.
5. Whoever wastes grain and vegetables or damages furniture and tableware shall kneel for the length of an incense stick.
6. Whoever leaves the temple without asking for leave, does not report back on returning, or goes out wandering privately shall kneel for the length of an incense stick.
7. No member of the resident community may privately take disciples without the permission of the head of the temple and the abbot; violators shall kneel for the length of an incense stick.
8. Whoever, on the birthdays of the patriarchs or when the community gathers for audience with the Perfected at the new moon and full moon (the first and fifteenth days of the month), is negligent and fails to attend, or is improperly dressed, shall kneel for the length of an incense stick.
9. Whoever gossips and sows discord, forms cliques, or undermines the harmony of the community shall be urged to leave (cuidan).
10. Whoever gets drunk and causes trouble, disgraces the Taoist image, or wounds others with vicious words shall be expelled.
11. Whoever diverts public goods for private gain, profits at the community’s expense, deceives and conceals, or steals property shall be expelled.
12. Whoever loves ease and hates work, disregards the rules of the temple, or refuses to accept assignments shall be expelled.
13. Whoever is of improper conduct or commits sexual assault against women shall be expelled.
14. Whoever uses public office to settle private scores, or quarrels and brawls, shall in lighter cases be expelled, and in serious cases be reported to the authorities and dealt with according to law.
15. Whoever breaks the law of the land and persists in wrongdoing without repentance, corrupting the laws of the Most High and ruining the tradition of the mysterious gate, shall be expelled from the Taoist order and handed over to the judicial authorities.
The above are the monastic rules of Xianyang Taoism, which all temples must observe together and carry out alike. Should anyone offend against or violate them, the gods three feet above one’s head will report it, and the Taoist community will supervise the punishment.
Hereby proclaimed.