Page 651 - The Encyclopedia of Taoism v1_A-L

LAOJ UN YINSON G JI EJIN G 609

yourself to seek long life, day and night do not slacken; 149: You should exert
yourself to ingest *qi and eliminate cereals from your diet practicing the Dao
of No Death). Finally, some important ones show the direct influence of Bud-
dhism (66: You should not urinate while standing; rr6: You should not urinate
on living plants or in water that is to be drunk).

Benjamin PENNY
m Hendrischke and Penny 1996 (trans.); Lai Chi-tim 1998b; Maeda Shigeki
I985b; 6fuchi Ninji 1978-79, 2: 685 (reprod. of the Dunhuang mss.); Penny
I996a; Schrnidt 1985; Schipper I999a (part. trans.); Schipper 2001

* jie [precepts]

Laojun yinsongjiejing

Scripture on Precepts of Lord Lao, Recited
[to the Melody in the Clouds]

The Laojun yinsong jiejing (CT 785), also known as "New Code" (xinke ~JT
*4 ), was revealed in 415 to *Kou Qianzhi. The text was originally in twenty
scrolls, most of which are now lost. The expression yinsong if ~m in the title
is short for yunzhong yinsong ~ ~ if ~m , which may mean "to be recited after
[the melody] 'In the Clouds'" or "recited in the cloudy heavens." The text
contains thirty-six precepts (*jie), each of which is introduced with "The Lord
Lao said" and ends with the admonition: "Honor and follow this rule with
awareness and care, in accordance with the statutes and ordinances," a varia-
tion of the formula: "Promptly, promptly, in accordance with the statutes and
ordinances!" (*jiji TU liiling).
The first six introductory rules describe the text's revelation in terms similar
to those used in the "weft texts" (weishu ~.$11 ; see *TAOISM AND THE APOC-
RYPHA). Thereafter the precepts seem to be arranged in no particular order,
consisting of general guidelines, specific behavioral rules, and detailed ritual
instructions. General guidelines include an outline of the various offices and
duties of Taoist followers and a survey of banquet meetings and communal
rites (e.g., nos. 7- 9). Specific behavioral rules describe the role of Taoists in
relation to the civil administration, patterns of public conduct, and measures
to be taken in case of sickness (e.g., no. 21). Detailed ritual instructions, finally,
deal with the performance of communal banquets, the proper format of