勅修百丈清規 3.84

3.84

某寺喪司比丘　某　右某山門不幸　堂頭

drape it in new cloth, shave the head, and lay the body in the portable shrine.

The verse left by the deceased is posted on the left side of the shrine. The

director of practitioners’ affairs, leading the disciples of the deceased, burns incense, invites the primary seat official to conduct the rite of laying the body in the shrine, and places the shrine in the reception hall along with a table holding an incense burner and candles, and a carpet. He then conducts offerings.

At the appointed time, the practice hall bell is tolled to assemble the practitioners for the funeral rite. Toward the end of this rite, the director of practitioners’ affairs steps forward and intones the following prayer:

The relationship of the transcendent and its phenomenal embodiment

is mysterious in having shown its phenomenal trace in the world of

humans and heavenly beings. The master’s sincere nature is perfect

and clear, and his intuitive capacity well accorded with that of the

Buddhas and patriarchs. It is respectfully reflected that the Venerable

Master, abbot of this temple, his dazzling insight like a moon, shed his

light over thousands and thousands of miles of waves. Our grief is sin-

cere indeed, and accords with the feeling of the Buddhas of the ten

directions. Though we look up reverently we find no ground, and our

determination does not go afar but returns. We have assembled here

with sincerity to intone our prayer by praising the [ten sacred] names

of the Buddhas: the Luminous Pure Dharma Body Vairocana Buddha,

and so on.

Next, he calls for the chanting of the Mahākāruṇikacitta-dhāraṇīs, and concludes with the following invocation of merit transference:

The merit accrued by chanting the foregoing esoteric verses is intended

to enshrine the indescribable rewarding state of non-arising, which the

Venerable Master, abbot of this temple, has realized. Veneration to the

Buddhas of the ten directions and the three times, and so on.

Once again, he calls for the chanting of the Śūraṃgama-dhāraṇīs and concludes with the following invocation of merit transference:

The merit accrued by chanting the Śūraṃgama-dhāraṇīs is intended

to promote and honor the head of the temple, the Venerable Master’s

rank and state of realization. Veneration to the Buddhas of three times

and the ten directions, and so on.

That evening, when the practitioners have assembled and after the prayer chanting is over, the director of practitioners’ affairs says:

I speak to the practitioners. The Venerable Master, abbot of this temple,

has already returned to the true state of quiescence. We have all lost our

support. Remind yourselves earnestly of the sole truth of impermanence

and guard against falling into a state of unrestrainedness. For the sake of

this intention, let us intone the [ten sacred] names of the Buddhas: the

Luminous Pure Dharma Body Vairocana Buddha, and so on.

The invocation of merit transference is identical to the above. Twice a day, at morning and noon respectively, rice gruel and rice must be served, and three times a day (morning, noon, and evening), tea and sweet hot water must be served. At each serving, the practitioners should perform the service of chanting sutras, which is concluded by the director of practitioners’ affairs with the same invocation of merit transference as before.

Nowadays, popular manners and customs have become corrupted. Some practitioners want to be assigned to the management posts of estates, storage, and manpower but do not obtain them, while some steal temple property. When the abbot [duly] punishes such acts according to the monastic regulations, these evil ones not only do not repent their wrongdoing but also harbor grudges against the abbot. Informed of his passing, they make all sorts of derogatory remarks about him as if such behavior gives them great pleasure. In extreme cases, they may even vandalize the enshrined coffin, openly taking the clothing and goods by force to demonstrate their brutality. The senior official in charge of the funeral rite, the representatives of the neighboring temples, patron donors, government officials, general participants, and the associates in Zen practice must protect the postmortem affairs. For who [among us] ever escapes death? How much more should those wicked people who have come for training under the deceased master and yet commit such transgressions be expelled, punished, and reformed! If the master of the funeral rite can ahead of time set up guidelines of discipline and reform the regulations so as to prevent such crimes before their occurrence, this would contribute greatly to the outward beauty of all the proceedings of the funeral rite.

Format of the Obituary Note

Bhikṣu So-and-so in charge of the funeral rite of Such-and-such Tem-

ple, respectfully notifies you that a bereavement has befallen the above

temple, whose abbot, Venerable So-and-so, suddenly returned to the

transcendent on such-and-such day of this month.

Date and year

Written by Bhikṣu So-and-so, in charge of

Such-and-such Temple’s funeral rite

Format of the Envelope

Obituary Notice Addressed to

Zen Master, Venerable So-and-so

Such-and-such Temple

Respectfully sealed

4. Inviting the Director of the Funeral Rite

(Chief Mourner)

When the invited director of the funeral rite arrives, it is customary to toll the large bell to assemble the practitioners at the temple gate to receive him. When he reaches the front of the shrine, he burns incense. The primary seat official and the practitioners bow toward him and withdraw. The dual order officials and the retired officials escort him to the guest house, and, after burning incense, perform prostrations with opened sitting cloth. The director of the funeral rite sits on the main seat, while the primary seat official sits beside him. The latter stands up to burn incense and, after returning to his seat, serves tea to the guest.

The disciples of the deceased master then line up in front, burn incense, and perform the formal propriety of three prostrations with fully opened sitting cloth. The practitioner assistants and novice attendants of the abbot’s office and the ceremonial leader, leading all the attendants, burn incense and perform prostrations in succession. After them, the workers of the abbot’s

office pay their respects. When all this is over, sweet hot water should be

served, and the guest then sees off the dual order officials as they withdraw.