勅修百丈清規 2.81

2.81

專使持書到寺（禮儀詳見下遺書篇）方丈開書。兩序先慰住持。法堂中間設祭。座前拈香有法語。舉哀三拜。上湯復三拜。進食下䞋鳴鼓。講特為禮。三拜上茶鳴鼓三下。退座收坐具。維那舉楞嚴呪回向（與嗣法師忌同）兩序四寮江湖鄉人法眷小師辦事。皆有祭。住持居靈几之左（如有諸山及座下西堂法眷與師為行輩者。上祭則住持同專使答拜。以下則不答拜）祭畢諷大悲呪。回向云（上來諷經功德。奉為某寺某號大和尚增崇品位。十方三世一切佛。云云）首座領眾。慰住持云（法門不幸。令師和尚遷化。後學失依不勝悲悼。尚冀堪忍力行此道）。

When a special envoy arrives at the monastery bearing a letter (the ceremonial protocol is detailed below in the section on Bequest Letters), the letter is opened in the abbot's quarters. The two ranks first console the abbot. A memorial offering is set up in the central bay of the dharma hall. Before the seat, [the abbot] pinches incense and delivers dharma words, raises a lament, and makes three prostrations. Hot water is presented, and he makes another three prostrations. Food is offered and gifts are distributed while the drum is struck, conducting the special hospitality ritual. Making three prostrations, tea is presented, and the drum is struck three times. He withdraws from the seat and folds up his niṣīdana. The karmadāna raises the Śūraṅgama Mantra for dedication of merit (the same as for the death anniversary of a dharma-inheritance master). The two ranks, the four dormitories, itinerant monks from the rivers and lakes, fellow provincials, dharma relatives, junior disciples, and administrative staff all make offerings. The abbot stands to the left of the spirit-table (if there are elders from other monasteries, or retired western hall elders and dharma relatives from under his seat who are of the same generation as the master, when they make offerings, the abbot and the special envoy return their bows together; to those below that rank, they do not return the bows). When the offering is finished, the Great Compassion Dhāraṇī is chanted, with the dedication of merit stating: 'May the merit of chanting the sūtras above be dedicated to increasing the spiritual rank of the Great Upādhyāya So-and-so of Monastery So-and-so; all buddhas of the ten directions and the three times, and so forth.' The head seat leads the assembly to console the abbot, saying: 'Misfortune has befallen the Dharma gate; your venerable master the Upādhyāya has passed away. Subsequent students have lost their reliance, and cannot overcome their grief and mourning; we yet hope you will bear with it and strive to practice this Path.'