初真戒
The Precepts of the Initial Truth
Written by Kunyang Zi, Wang Changyue 崑陽子王常月著 (from The Dragon Gate’s Core Methods, Purple Cloud Press forthcoming)
Introduction:
The Precepts of the Initial Truth consist of (1) taking refuge in the three jewels, which are the dao (the body), the scriptures (the spirit) and the teachers (the life-destiny); (2) the fundamental five precepts, also called the five cardinal lay precepts, which are almost identical to the five Buddhist precepts; (3) ten precepts which contain a list of prohibitions and injunctions; and (4) the nine precepts for women.
In chapter 9 of The Dragon Gate’s Core Methods, entitled ‘Upholding Stabilization and Wisdom Concurrently’’ (dinghui dengchi 定慧等持), Wang Changyue observes:
大眾，你受的乃初真十戒，乃是教你們拘制色身，不許妄動胡行。
O people of the assembly, these the Ten Precepts of the Initial Truth which you have received serve to instruct you in how to restrain and control your body of form and how to prevent it from moving rashly and acting recklessly.
Outro:
以上女真九戒，若道姑若信女，而能行持不退，有大利益，不經地獄之苦，必生十善之家。再能精進修持圓成戒果，名登紫府，位列仙班矣。
If Daoist nuns or female lay-practitioners can uphold and practise these Nine Precepts of the Female [Initial] Truth unswervingly from them, there will be great benefits, and they will never experience the suffering of the underworld prisons, and will certainly be [re]born in a household [of people] with the ten kind-heartednesses. If they can further dedicate themselves to advancing their cultivation and upholding [their precepts] until they have attained the perfected fruits of the precepts, their names will enter the register of the Purple Residence, and they will be classed among the immortals in rank.
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The Initial Ten Precepts 初真十戒 Purple Cloud Press
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