Various Commandments of the Three Grottoes

The Various Commandments of the Three Grottoes ( 《三洞眾戒文》 Sandong Zhongjie Wen ) compiled by Zhang Wanfu of the Tang points out in the preface that, keeping commandments is the priority for a Daoist. Commandments keep one from evil deeds. One keeping no commandments can never attain the Dao. Beginners hold the three-refuge commandments, learners with registers the five commandments and eight commandments, lay Daoists ten highest commandments, new priests the commandments for preliminary Daoists, Orthodox-oneness learners the seventy-two commandments, men and women Daoists the One Hundred and Eighty Commandments of the Venerable Sovereign ( 《老君百八十戒》 Laojun Baibashi Jie ). The text collects various commandments, such as the Three-Conversion commandments for Initiates in Daoism( 《始起心入道三皈戒文》 Shiqixin Rudao Sangui Jiewen ), commandments for Disciples Attending upon Teachers ( 《弟子奉師戒文》 Dizi Fengshi Jiewen ), Commandments for Numinous-Treasure Beginners to Restrain from the Six Desires( 《靈寶初盟閉塞六情文》 Lingbao Chumeng Bisai Liuqing Wen ), the Three commandments, Five commandments, Eight commandments, Three Formulae, Eight Corruptions, Three Essentials, Thirteen Taboos, and 720 Essential commandments, etc. Some have postscripts by Zhang. The Postscript of commandments for the Six Desires says, "The six desires are the door to sin and the source of death. When the Six desires are eliminated, the spirit of Dao comes into a peaceful mind. Collected in the Subsection of Commandments, Pervasive Divinity Section of the Daoist Canon of the Zhengtong Era, the book is important for the study of Daoist commandments.