勅修百丈清規 3.134

3.134

住持章終

I wish for?

End of Chapter V: The Abbot,

Resident Bearer of the Dharma

End of Fascicle Three

Fascicle Four

The Dual Order Offices

I. Preface to the Chapter

The dual order offices (liangxuzhang) were established [for the abbot] to manage various things for the sake of the member practitioners [of his monastic community], so that he may [freely] engage himself in teaching the essentials of the [Buddhist] religion, promulgating the path of practice, and embellishing the patriarchal tradition. Insofar as the handling of money and rice storage and experiencing various duties are concerned, no one fails to acquire good training through worldly matters as well as non-worldly religious matters. Thereafter, when he reaches an official position, takes the title of “master,” teaches students, and deals with things, he is able to realize the transcendent truth, execute worldly operations, and become a so-called [perfected] person who fulfills himself and helps others fulfill themselves.

In the past, the east and the west order offices exchanged their positions and reciprocated their functions. Accordingly, neither officials felt pleasure or displeasure regarding the respective orders and ranks, whether superior or inferior. It is, therefore, wrong that today the officials are divided into the two orders. In extreme cases, the two groups compete against each other, allowing no compatibility if either one’s influence tilts to the stronger or weaker side. Therefore, whoever oversees them as their head should assert the ancestral warning that cautions against falling into such discord, and should wish to prevent its occurrence. All that is needed is to be cautious

and selective regarding one’s appointees, encourage them to devote them-

selves to their respective tasks, and refrain from speaking divisive words.

II. The Training Faculty of the

West Order

1. The Primary Seat Official of the

Front Part of the Practice Hall

The primary seat official (shouzuo) is the model standard of the monastic

institution, comparable to the visual organ of humans and gods. He [some-

times] takes the seat as proxy of the abbot to preach the Dharma in order to

penetrate and open up the [doctrinal] understanding in the minds of junior

practitioners, and leads the practitioners in the practice of zazen, respect-

fully committing himself to adhering to the monastic rules and regulations.

He is obliged to advise the treasury as to whether or not each meal (i.e., rice

gruel in the morning and rice at noon) is prepared well. When the commu-

nity ceases to comply with normative propriety, he may have to show what

punishment is mandated by the regulations. Compassionate toward the aged,

the sick, and the dying, he should take care of them up to their funeral rites.

As a whole, he must be ready to act practically in all matters that concern

the practitioners, like a collar attached to all clothes or a controlling rope

attached to an entire net.

Even a well-established senior practitioner or the abbot of a large monastery,

if asked with proper honor and reverence, should accept and serve in the role

of primary seat official. This is called “acting for the sake of others by forsak-

ing one’s own.” Mañjuśrī Bodhisattva, though he was the teacher of the seven

past Buddhas, agreed to become the primary seat official for an assembly of

disciples and helped Śākyamuni Buddha accomplish the path by leading his

disciples to religious conversion. In the Zen tradition we have such exam-

ples: Zen Master Muzhou became the primary seat official under Huangbi,

and Yunmen under Lingshu, whereby they made the foremost position lumi-

nous and clear and thus left lessons for those of later periods. As the name