[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Indian literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in) › [Buddhist Literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha) › [Taishō Tripiṭaka (Chinese Buddhist canon)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho) › [勅修百丈清規](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2025) › 3.20 # 勅修百丈清規 3.20 勅修百丈清規 3.20 - **Language:** Classical Chinese ### [3.20](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2025.3.20) 專使特為受請人煎點 > ward to bow. The abbot replies: > > That to which this path is entrusted is but a single thread which may lead > > to a great flourishing. Whether one is suitable or not is only of relative > > importance. I wish you the best in maintaining it. > > The new appointee then returns to stand to the right of the high chair. > > The guest delegate hands over the documents to the new appointee, and the latter in turn expresses a word of insight for each \[document\] that he receives. If the appointee is not the abbot’s disciple, he comes before the high seat and bows toward the host abbot. Next he bows toward the west order official and the practitioners, and immediately moves to the right of the high seat, where he offers incense over the robe of Dharma transmission and the documents of his appointed temple, each time giving a word of insight. The guest delegate first requests the director of practitioners’ affairs to invite the official to read the documents. When the documents have been read, the new appointee utters a word of insight, pointing at the rostrum seat, and then, ascending the high seat, gives instructive words, conducts a question-and-answer session, instructs on doctrinal teachings, and expresses words of appreciation before completing the occasion. > > When the new appointee completes the session, he descends the seat, comes before the abbot and formally greets him with the propriety of two prostrations with opened sitting cloth and three prostrations with unopened sitting cloth. At the first opening of the sitting cloth, he says: > > Although I have just been appointed abbot, I may not be faultless with > > the Zen tradition. I am greatly indebted to you and grateful for your > > effort in polishing my training. > > The abbot replies: > > I rejoice and congratulate you in your appointment as the guide in the > > human and heavenly worlds. It increases the illumination of the Buddha > > like that of the sun. This is my greatest delight. > > At the second opening \[of the sitting cloth\], the appointee says: > > On this day and at this time, I together with others wish that all is well > > and felicitous with your reverence, temple master and great teacher. > > He completes the greeting with three prostrations with unopened sitting cloth. This formality may be excused at the abbot’s discretion. > > Next, \[the appointee\] bows toward the dual order officials and the practitioners. The guest reception assistant escorts the new appointee on a round through the practitioners’ quarters to express appreciation. If the appointee is the abbot’s disciple, immediately after his descent from the high seat he performs three prostrations with fully opened sitting cloth before the abbot, and, stepping back, bows toward the officials and practitioners. The rest of the proceedings, such as making a round through the practitioners’ quarters, are just as before. If the appointee holds the status of a secondary rank in the west hall, there might be some variation in matters of formality at the discretion of the abbot. > > 9. The Guest Delegate’s Special Serving > > of Tea for the New Appointee > > The official delegate discusses with the new appointee the matter of the various monetary gifts to be made and determines the amounts for the abbot’s invitation for the new appointee to the Dharma hall, the practitioners, the official who reads the documents, as well as for the dual order officials, the retired officials, and those who come from the same native province and nearby native locality of the new appointee. After breakfast on the appointed day, the guest delegate visits the abbot with incense in his sleeve, performs a prostration with unopened sitting cloth, and requests: > > This morning at noon, I shall offer a humble provision at the practice > > hall for the new appointee. May you in your compassion grant us the > > honor of your presence on this occasion. > > He then visits the new appointee and makes the same request. The guest reception attendant at the abbot’s office and the official delegate’s attendant together visit each quarter to convey the invitation and post the signboard. The new appointee’s seat should be placed in the practice hall opposite the abbot’s, and the official delegate’s seat should be placed at the first position > > of the raised sitting platform of the guest reception official in the outer hall. Signboards announcing the serving of tea and sweet hot water must be posted on each side of the hall entrance. > > At the time of the noon meal, the new appointee is directed to wait for the abbot in front of the practice hall and together they enter the hall and bow toward the shrine. The guest delegate follows and respectfully requests first the host abbot and then the new appointee to take their respective seats. Thereupon, \[the guest delegate\] burns incense and conducts his ceremonial role as described previously. At the conclusion of the meal, the monetary gifts are made, tea is served, and the tea bowl is first collected from the new appointee. Then the official delegate goes before \[the appointee\], performs the formal propriety of two prostrations with opened sitting cloth and three prostrations with unopened sitting cloth, and then escorts him out through the rear entrance. The official delegate once again returns to the inner hall, performs the same formal greeting toward the abbot, and escorts him out through the front entrance. Once again he returns to the inner hall, burns incense, performs the propriety of three prostrations with fully opened sitting cloth, makes a round through the hall, and bows in the midouter hall. When the tea bowl is collected from the altar of the guardian bodhisattva, signaled by three drumbeats, \[the delegate offical\] leaves the hall. That evening, the new appointee is obliged to invite the guest delegate and others, as described previously, for a serving of sweet hot water, tea, and an evening meal. > > 10. The Host Temple’s Special Dinner Reception > > for the New Appointee and the Delegate > > The abbot’s seat should be placed in the main position in the reception hall and the new appointee’s seat is placed opposite it in the center, with the official delegate’s seat to the left of the abbot and those of the dual order offi- > — Shohei Ichimura 2006, The Baizhang Zen Monastic Regulations - [Previous: 3.19](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2025.3.19) - [Next: 3.21](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2025.3.21) - [Up: 3](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2025.3) ## Translations (2) - [The Baizhang Zen Monastic Regulations](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2025~en-bdk.3.20) — Shohei Ichimura 2006, English - [English (machine translation)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2025~en-mt.3.20) — English, machine translation --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2025.3.20](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2025.3.20) · Pramāṇa