“Filiality is the foremost of all virtues.” Filiality refers to filial piety. Filial piety means treating one’s parents with kindness and respect. It is the virtue of obedience: serving and complying with one’s parents in all things to bring them joy. “All virtues” refers to every form of good conduct. “Foremost” means filial piety ought to be practiced above everything else. While living in the world, one must prioritize filial piety to repay parents for their arduous toil; all other good deeds may come second. In the Classic of Filiality, Confucius states that among three thousand offences punishable under the five major penalties, none is worse than unfilial conduct. Hence practicing filial piety builds immense merits and virtues, whereas being unfilial incurs grave sins. The opening chapter of the Analects expounds that filial piety and fraternal respect form the foundation of human conduct. The teachings of immortals and Buddhas list cultivating filial piety and fraternal duty as the first rule to uphold ethical human relations. These are ample proofs that countless sacred sutras and classics all place filial piety and fraternal respect foremost among virtues.
Those who defile others through licentious acts bring destruction upon the victim’s three generations.
For a wife or daughter to be violated is the greatest disgrace among mortals. Three generations refers to three successive generations. The wrongdoer shames the victim’s forebears in the nether‑world, brings public dishonor upon the victim’s fathers, brothers and husbands, and leaves the victim’s children with no prospect of standing in the world. By ruining another’s chastity and bringing shame upon the victim’s ancestors, descendants and clan, such acts are heinous, far worse than the crime of murder.
Once the licentious misconduct comes to light, the scandal spreads far and wide.
“Comes to light” means that the illicit liaison is uncovered by others. “The scandal” signifies a dishonored reputation. “Spreads far and wide” means the affair may be published in newspapers, spoken of throughout villages and hamlets, and circulated among folk in every county and city.
Her father disowns her as his daughter; her husband rejects her as his wife; her son refuses to acknowledge her as his mother.
When a woman falls into lechery, her father, husband and children are steeped in shame, too ashamed to face others, eager to hide the scandal. How could they acknowledge her as daughter, wife or mother?
In extreme cases, blades are drawn, and both man and woman perish.
When the sin of seducing another’s wife or daughter becomes known, murder often ensues, and in some cases the adulterer and the woman lose their lives.
Their bodies lie exposed, bringing disgrace to the whole clan.