Page 57 - The Encyclopedia of Taoism v1_A-L

OV ERVIEW 17

Heaven" is found not only in the Baopu zi but also in other Taoist writings
from the Six Dynasties. For instance, the *Niiqing guilii (Demon Statutes of
Niiqing; 3.3b) says that Heaven will decrease by 300 the allotment of points
that determine the length of life of anyone who shows )he scriptures to a lay
person or divulges the secret teachings.

MIURAKunio
III Mollier 1990, Il7-I8; Robinet 1984, I: 120-21; Robinet I990a; Seidel I983a,
327-35 and passim; Stein R. A. 1968; Yoshikawa Tadao 1980; see also bibliogra-
phy for the entry *TRANSMISSION

* LINEAGES; ORDINATION AND PRIESTHOOD; SYNCRETISM; TRANSMISSION

Ordination and priesthood

Taoist ordination developed in the Six Dynasties under the influence of both
traditional pledges used for political covenants and membership ceremonies
of the Buddhist sangha. Like the former, it is essentially a rite of cosmic
empowerment and change in social status; like the latter, it requires a set
number of masters and witnesses, involves the chanting of various ritual
incantations, and is formalized through the transference of a new title and a
set of religious robes.
The earliest record of a ceremony' for the transmission of Taoist scriptures
is found in the *Laojun yinsongjiejing (Scripture on Precepts of Lord Lao, Re-
cited [to the Melody in the Clouds]) of *Kou Qianzhi (365?- 448). Here a rite
is prescribed that involves the presence of a group of masters and recipients,
the formal bowing and performance of obeisances, and the ritual chanting of
the precepts (*jie) as presented in the scripture. The precepts are at the center
of the ceremony, and the text explains that they "must always be venerated
and treated with great diligence" and should not be transmitted except with
the prescribed methods (la).
Another early glimpse of Taoist ordination is found in the preface to the
fourth-century *Laojun shuo yibai bashi jie (The Hundred and Eighty Precepts
Spoken by Lord Lao), recovered from *Dunhuang. The text emphasizes that,
in order to receive the precepts, adepts must purify themselves by bathing,
abstention from the five pungent vegetables, and changing into fresh clothing.
After bowing to their master, they receive the rules by reciting them three
times and vowing to observe them. When the transmission is over, adepts
obtain the text of the precepts and make one copy so they can venerate the
text.