Precepts
1. Do not deceive your heart-mind
The heart-mind is the master of the body; thus, all of a person’s words and actions are expressions of the mind. The mind has two dispositions: the conscientious and the selfish. The conscientious mind is innate, originating from the nature of Heaven, while the selfish mind arises from material greed and desire. Although the essence of human nature is fundamentally conscientious, people often get caught up in selfishness, leading to immoral and unreasonable behavior. Abandon the selfish mind and commit yourself to recovering your conscientious mind. All human evils stem from self-deception; therefore, by embracing honesty and sincerity, which are the essence of human nature, rid yourself of these evils.
2. Practice virtuous speech
Your words are the voice of your mind, and your virtuous actions are a reflection of the spirit of the Dao. Your good and evil are expressed to others through your words. If you speak well of others, it will benefit the person, and the residual benefit will grow more and more, eventually becoming a great fortune that will return to you. Conversely, if you speak ill of others, it will harm the person, and the residual harm will grow more and more, eventually becoming a great disaster that will return to you. Both fortune and disaster always depend on the virtue of your words; therefore, always be particularly mindful when speaking to others.
3. Do not provoke ‘Cheok’ from others
‘Cheok’ refers to others’ emotional grudges against you, essentially causing them to harbor resentment towards you. Hating others or going against another’s goodwill are actions that provoke Cheok. Therefore, always strive to love others and maintain a good heart, interacting with them through virtues like politeness, gentleness, humility, and yielding to avoid provoking Cheok.
4. Do not disregard the beneficence bestowed
upon you
Beneficence refers to the benefits that others bestow upon you. It is a disregard to forget their beneficence and betray their goodwill; when you receive such kindness, you are indebted to others and must reciprocate.
Life, lifespan, and wealth are the beneficence of Heaven and Earth. Therefore, you should embrace the great cause of reciprocating Heaven and Earth’s grace through sincerity, respectfulness and faithfulness, thus fulfilling the Way of Being Human. Safety and comfort are the beneficence of the nation and society. Therefore, you should strive for societal development and communal welfare through loyal dedication and service, thus fulfilling your duties as a citizen. Birth and upbringing are the beneficence of parents. Therefore, you should cherish the great cause of veneration and requital towards them, thus fulfilling your filial piety as a offspring. Guidance and nurturing are the beneficence of teachers. Therefore, you should respect their teachings and spread their virtues, thus fulfilling your duties as a disciple. Finally, livelihood and status are the beneficence of your profession. Therefore, you should stick to faithfulness and diligence, thus fulfilling your duties as an employee.
5. Promote the betterment of others
‘Promoting the betterment of others’ is the basic principle of the Great Dao of Mutual Beneficence, and the fundamental ideology of universal salvation of all sentient beings. You should not hold back when working for the benefit of others. Combine your best efforts with theirs in every task, keeping in mind that the success of any work depends on fostering a cooperative mindset.
