勅修百丈清規 1.29

1.29

聖節。必先啟建金剛無量壽道場。一月日僧行不給假示敬也。啟建之先一日。堂司備榜。張于三門之右及上殿經單（式見後）俱用黃紙書。之。輪差僧簿依戒次。各書雙字名。維那先五日袖紙帶堂司行者。詣書記（寮通報書記出接。維那觸禮）一拜稟云（啟建聖節煩製疏語。如書記缺則書狀侍者代之。俱缺則用現成疏語。見後）書記製畢。具草先呈住持。親送堂司。觸禮一拜答先禮也。維那用黃紙書疏。帶行僕。捧盤袱爐燭香合。上方丈請住持僉疏。炷香觸禮一拜稟云（啟建聖節請和尚僉疏）僉訖。行者就覆住持。來早殿上啟建諷經。仍報諸寮掛諷經牌。燒香侍者覆住持。來早上堂至五更。住持行香回。再覆粥罷。上堂令客頭掛上堂牌。維那於僧堂。早粥遍食椎後。再鳴椎一下云（白大眾。粥罷聞鐘聲。各具威儀。詣大佛寶殿。啟建天壽聖節謹白）復鳴椎一下。往住持前問訊。從首座板起巡堂一匝。出外堂下間至上間。歸內堂中間。問訊而出。粥後少停。待大殿排香燭茶湯鐃鈸手爐俱辦。堂司行者報方丈客頭。先覆住持。次覆侍者。鳴方丈板三下鳴鼓。堂司行者預鳴眾寮前板三下。集眾坐堂。如尋常坐禪向內坐。鼓鳴則轉身向外坐。頭首先集堂外候鼓鳴。即入堂。首座後入就坐。西堂勤舊蒙堂諸寮並外堂坐。住持於鼓初鳴。出寢堂坐。侍者問訊東立。行者問訊西立。轉鼓侍者往法座左側立候眾集。頭首下床。聖僧前問訊領眾出堂。至法座前。列一行問訊歸西序立。大眾雁列于後。若不候頭首至。先自立定非法也。其行堂亦於鼓鳴時鳴板三下。參頭領眾行者。列庫堂前相對排立。候轉鼓。知事出則問訊隨其後。待西序歸位畢。亦列一行。座前問訊。上首居後。都寺引歸東序立定。眾行者列知事後。稍離遠立。侍侍者入請住持出。行者問訊。住持至法座前。行者趲近知事後立。冬月則眾去帽問訊。住持和南登座。侍者隨上法座。以香合蓋盛香捧上。住持拈香祝壽畢。侍者接香。以左手插爐中右手拈從香一炷。略問訊下座歸班。待住持斂衣趺坐。侍者先末班。引過座下。列一行問訊。燒香侍者引班歸位。次首座領班出。列座前問訊。大眾同問訊。知事轉班列座前問訊。行者隨問訊。西堂東堂出座下問訊。侍者登座。左手上香轉身提坐具問訊（謂之代眾請法）退立座側問答罷。陳白事意云（某月某日欽遇天壽聖節。某寺預於某月某日。啟建金剛無量壽道場。一月日逐日輪僧上殿。披閱金文。今辰開啟。住持臣僧某。陞于此座舉揚聖諦第一義。所集洪因端為祝延聖壽萬安者）說法竟。白云（下座。各具威儀詣大佛殿啟建天壽聖節。謹白）此日座下雖有官員。亦不得敘謝。蓋尊君也。鳴大鍾及僧堂前鐘。集眾列殿上向佛排立。住持上茶湯。上首知事遞上。燒香侍者就佛座前。下茶湯畢。住持歸位立定。行者鳴鈸維那轉身爐前。揖住持上香。燒香侍者捧香合。次東堂西堂出班上香（如有大方諸山住持偶至者。令侍者請。於兩序前上香）次兩序對出向佛問訊。上香畢。兩兩相朝轉身歸位。大眾同展三拜。兩序分班對立。住持就跪。知客跪進手爐。侍者跪進香合。維那白佛宣疏畢。知客跪接爐。住持收坐具。維那舉楞嚴呪。回向云。（諷誦祕章。所萃洪因。端為祝延今上皇帝聖壽萬安。金剛無量壽佛云云）眾散。每日堂司行者將輪差僧簿。須預先一日請住持頭首眾僧。各書雙字名僉押。量眾多少。依戒具寫差單。排定日分周而復始。仍列經目。對揭殿內柱上。至日各務嚴肅。鳴大鍾上殿。當次僧員須具威儀。香合禮佛歸位看經。庫司嚴設香燭。備點心。維那燒香點湯照拂。至晚鳴大鍾下殿。堂司行者直殿行者。常加伺候。毋令怠慢。如官員入山拈香。鳴鍾集眾。諷無量壽呪。舉藥師號畢。回向云（某處某官入山拜手拈香。僧眾諷誦祕章。所萃洪因。端為祝延今上皇帝聖壽萬安。金剛無量壽云云）節內遇三八日。佛殿念誦。至日齋罷。堂司行者覆住持兩序諸寮。掛念誦牌報眾。參前巡廊鳴板。集眾向佛排立。住持至鳴大板三下。次鳴大鐘。燒香歸位。維那出班。念誦云（皇風永扇帝道遐昌。佛日增輝法輪常轉。為如上緣。念清淨法身毘盧遮那佛。十號訖回向云。上來念誦所集洪因。端為祝延今上皇帝聖壽萬安。金剛無量壽云云）鳴僧堂前鐘三下。大眾問訊而散。或住持赴郡縣都道場所歸時。鳴鐘集眾門迎詣方丈問訊。

For an Imperial Birthday, one must first inaugurate a Vajrāyus bodhimanda. For one whole month, monks and postulants are not granted leave, in order to demonstrate reverence. On the day prior to the inauguration, the hall office prepares the notice board and posts it to the right of the triple gate, together with the scripture roster for going up to the hall (the format appears below), both written on yellow paper. The monks' roster for rotational assignment follows the seniority of their precepts, each inscribed with their two-character ordination name. Five days in advance, the karmadāna, carrying paper in his sleeve and taking the hall office postulant along, goes to the scribe's dormitory (where the attendant announces him, the scribe comes out to receive him, and the karmadāna makes a prostration touching the mat), bows, and states: “For the inauguration of the Imperial Birthday, we trouble you to compose the words of the memorial. (If the scribe is absent, the correspondence attendant takes his place. If both are absent, use the ready-made memorial text; see below.)” When the scribe has finished composing it, he prepares a draft, first presents it to the abbot, and personally delivers it to the hall office, making one prostration touching the mat in return for the prior courtesy. The karmadāna writes out the memorial on yellow paper, and, taking an attendant servant carrying a tray, cloth wrapper, incense burner, candles, and incense box, goes up to the abbot's quarters to request that the abbot sign the memorial. He burns incense, makes one prostration touching the mat, and states: “For the inauguration of the Imperial Birthday, we request that the upādhyāya sign the memorial.” When the signing is completed, the postulant then reports to the abbot: “Tomorrow morning we will inaugurate the chanting of scriptures in the hall.” He also notifies the various dormitories to hang the scripture-chanting board. The incense-burning attendant reports to the abbot: “Tomorrow morning you will ascend the hall.” At the fifth watch, after the abbot has walked the incense and returned, he again reports: “After the gruel, you will ascend the hall,” and directs the guest prefect to hang the ascending-the-hall board. In the Sangha hall, after the striking of the mallet signaling the communal eating of morning gruel, the karmadāna strikes the mallet once more and says: “I announce to the great assembly: after the gruel, upon hearing the bell, each of you should fully adopt the dignified manners and proceed to the Great Buddha Treasure Hall to inaugurate the Heaven-Blessed Imperial Birthday. Respectfully announced.” He strikes the mallet once again, goes before the abbot, and offers a greeting with folded hands. Starting from the head seat's board, he circumambulates the hall once, going out from the lower section to the upper section of the outer hall, returning to the center of the inner hall, and departs after offering a greeting with folded hands. A short pause follows the gruel, waiting until the incense, candles, tea, hot water, cymbals, and hand-held censers are all arranged in the great hall. The hall office postulant notifies the abbot's guest prefect, first reporting to the abbot, and next reporting to the attendants. The abbot's quarters board is struck three times, and the drum is sounded. The hall office postulant strikes the board in front of the communal dormitory three times in advance to assemble the community to sit in the hall. They sit facing inward as in ordinary seated meditation; when the drum sounds, they turn their bodies to sit facing outward. The prefects first assemble outside the hall awaiting the sound of the drum; then they enter the hall. The head seat enters last and takes his seat. The west hall elders, retired officers, and residents of the infirmary hall and various dormitories all sit in the outer hall. At the first beat of the drum, the abbot comes out to sit in the sleeping hall. The attendant offers a greeting with folded hands and stands on the east; the postulant offers a greeting with folded hands and stands on the west. As the drum turns its tempo, the attendant proceeds to the left side of the dharma seat to stand and await the assembly's gathering. The prefects descend from their platforms, offer a greeting with folded hands before the Sacred Monk, and lead the assembly out of the hall. Arriving before the dharma seat, they line up in a single row, offer a greeting with folded hands, and return to stand in the western rank. The great assembly lines up behind them in wild-goose formation. If they do not wait for the prefects to arrive and instead take their places prematurely on their own, it is against the Dharma. The service hall also strikes its board three times when the drum sounds. The head postulant leads the postulants to line up facing each other before the storehouse hall, awaiting the drum's transition. When the administrators come out, they offer a greeting with folded hands and follow behind them. Waiting until the western rank has fully returned to its places, they likewise form a single row and offer a greeting with folded hands before the seat, with the senior administrator at the rear. The chief prior leads them to return and stand firmly in the eastern rank. The postulants line up behind the administrators, standing somewhat apart from them. The attending attendant enters to invite the abbot out, and the postulants offer a greeting with folded hands. When the abbot reaches the front of the dharma seat, the postulants step forward to stand close behind the administrators. In winter months, the assembly removes their caps and offers a greeting with folded hands. The abbot bows with joined palms and ascends the seat. The attendant follows him up to the dharma seat, holding up the incense in the lid of the incense box to present it. When the abbot has finished presenting the incense to pray for imperial longevity, the attendant receives the incense, inserts it into the censer with his left hand, and with his right hand takes a stick of attendant incense; after a brief greeting with folded hands, he descends from the seat and returns to his rank. Waiting until the abbot gathers his robes and sits cross-legged, the attendant first leads the rear rank past below the seat, where they line up in a single row and offer a greeting with folded hands; the incense-burning attendant leads the rank back to its position. Next, the head seat leads his rank forward, lines up before the seat, and offers a greeting with folded hands; the great assembly offers a greeting with folded hands along with him. The administrators turn their rank to line up before the seat and offer a greeting with folded hands; the postulants follow with a greeting with folded hands. The west hall and east hall elders come out below the seat and offer a greeting with folded hands. The attendant ascends the seat, offers incense with his left hand, turns around, raises his niṣīdana, and offers a greeting with folded hands (this is called “requesting the Dharma on behalf of the assembly”). He steps back to stand at the side of the seat. When the exchange of questions and answers concludes, the abbot proclaims the purpose of the occasion, saying: “On the such-and-such day of such-and-such month, reverently meeting the Heaven-Blessed Imperial Birthday, this monastery in advance on the such-and-such day of such-and-such month inaugurated a Vajrāyus bodhimanda. For one whole month, monks take turns daily going up to the hall to peruse the golden texts. This morning, upon commencing, the abbot, your servant-monk so-and-so, ascends this seat to expound the supreme truth of the noble reality. May the vast cause thereby accumulated be dedicated expressly to praying for the tens of thousands of blessings of the Imperial Longevity.” When the preaching of the Dharma is finished, the announcement is made: “Descend from the seats. Each fully adopt the dignified manners and proceed to the Great Buddha Hall to inaugurate the Heaven-Blessed Imperial Birthday. Respectfully announced.” On this day, even if officials are present below the seat, no formal words of thanks may be exchanged, out of respect for the sovereign. The great bell and the bell in front of the Sangha hall are rung to assemble the community, who line up in the hall facing the Buddha. The abbot presents tea and hot water, which the senior administrator hands up to him; the incense-burning attendant serves them before the Buddha's throne. When the presentation of tea and hot water is finished, the abbot returns to his position and stands firmly. The postulants sound the cymbals, and the karmadāna turns his body before the censer, bowing to the abbot to offer incense. The incense-burning attendant holds the incense box. Next, the east hall and west hall elders step out of rank to offer incense (if abbots of renowned mountains from various regions happen to arrive, the attendant is instructed to invite them to offer incense in front of the two ranks). Next, the two ranks step out facing each other and offer a greeting with folded hands toward the Buddha; when the incense offering is finished, they face each other in pairs, turn their bodies, and return to their positions. The great assembly joins in making three prostrations. The two ranks divide into rows facing each other. The abbot kneels, the guest master kneels and presents the hand-held censer, and the attendant kneels and presents the incense box. After the karmadāna addresses the Buddha and proclaims the memorial, the guest master kneels to receive the censer, and the abbot folds his niṣīdana. The karmadāna chants the Śūraṅgama Dhāraṇī and recites the dedication: “(We chant the secret chapters; may the vast cause thereby gathered be dedicated expressly to praying for the tens of thousands of blessings of the Imperial Longevity of His Majesty the Present Emperor, the Diamond Buddha of Immeasurable Life, and so forth.)” The assembly disperses. Daily, the hall office postulants must take the roster of rotational duty for the monks and, one day in advance, invite the abbot, prefects, and the monks of the assembly each to sign and seal it with their two-character ordination names. Estimating the size of the community, they write out the duty roster in full according to precept seniority, arranging the days to cycle continuously. They also list the titles of the scriptures, posting them facing each other on the pillars inside the hall. On the appointed days, all must observe strict solemnity. The great bell is struck to go up to the hall. The monks on rotational duty must be fully clad in dignified demeanor, and, with incense boxes, pay homage to the Buddha, return to their positions, and read the scriptures. The storehouse office solemnly prepares incense and candles and provides refreshments. The karmadāna burns incense, serves hot water, and looks after them. In the evening, the great bell is struck to descend from the hall. The hall office postulant and the hall-tending postulant must constantly attend to duties and not allow any negligence. If an official enters the mountain to present incense, the bell is struck to assemble the community; they chant the Dhāraṇī of Immeasurable Life and recite the epithets of the Medicine Master, after which the dedication is said: “(Official so-and-so of such-and-such place has entered the mountain to bow and offer incense; the assembly of monks has chanted the secret chapters. May the vast cause thereby gathered be dedicated expressly to praying for the tens of thousands of blessings of the Imperial Longevity of His Majesty the Present Emperor, the Diamond Buddha of Immeasurable Life, and so forth.)” When the third and eighth days of the lunar month occur during the festival period, chanting is performed in the Buddha Hall. On that day, after the midday meal, the hall office postulant reports to the abbot, the two ranks, and the various dormitories, and hangs the chanting board to notify the community. Before the evening assembly, he circumambulates the corridors striking the board to assemble the community to line up facing the Buddha. When the abbot arrives, the large board is struck three times, followed by the striking of the great bell. The abbot burns incense and returns to his position. The karmadāna steps out of rank and proclaims the chanting: “(May the imperial breeze blow forever and the sovereign's way flourish extensively. May the Buddha's sun shine with increased brilliance and the wheel of Dharma ever turn. For the above conditions, we recite: Pure Dharmakāya Vairocana Buddha—) After the ten epithets are concluded, the dedication is recited: ‘May the vast cause gathered by the foregoing chanting be dedicated expressly to praying for the tens of thousands of blessings of the Imperial Longevity of His Majesty the Present Emperor, the Diamond Buddha of Immeasurable Life, and so forth.’” The bell in front of the Sangha hall is struck three times, and the great assembly offers a greeting with folded hands and disperses. Alternatively, when the abbot returns from attending a bodhimanda in the commandery or county capital, the bell is rung to assemble the community to welcome him at the gate and proceed to the abbot's quarters to offer a greeting with folded hands.