勅修百丈清規 6.39

6.39

送亡

the rite of offering, while the director of practitioners’ affairs reads the words

of tribute.

After the cancelation of the evening session has been announced, the

practice hall bell is rung to assemble the practitioners for the rite of prayer

chanting before the funeral shrine. The administrative official burns incense

and offers tea and sweet hot water to the shrine beforehand. The abbot burns

incense upon arrival and takes his place at the higher main position of the

east order. The director of practitioners’ affairs steps forward to burn incense

and invites a previously designated training official to conduct the rite of

closing the portable shrine door. The designated official steps forward from

his order to burn incense and, upon returning, bows. Next he bows before

the abbot and, turning toward the east order officials, bows and makes a

round, passing in front of each of the east order officials down to the last

one, then bows [again]. Next, he turns to the west order officials and bows,

and after that, bows together with the practitioners. Making a round, he passes

in front of each of the west order officials down to the last one, and, if he is

an incumbent official, passes through his vacated position, proceeds to the right of the funeral shrine, and stands there. The attendant of the practice hall office carries a chain on a crepe-wrapped board to the official, and, after completing the rite of closing the door, places the chain over the doors of the shrine.

As the abbot returns to his [central] position, the director of practitioners’ affairs steps forward to the left of the table, makes a gesture of greeting [to him] and then to the dual order officials, and completes his offering of incense. The director of practitioners’ affairs [now] faces the portable funeral shrine and utters the words of prayer:

We earnestly reflect that life and death alternate, just as hot and cold

change one after another. When it comes, it is as swift as the lightning

that strikes across the entire sky, and when it departs is like the waves

that cease to exist over the entire ocean. On this day, Venerable So-and-

so, who has just entered ultimate quiescence, totally exhausted the causes

of life and abruptly departed from a lifelong dream, [having reached the]

understanding that every psychophysical element (saṃskāra) is transi-

tory and ultimately quiescent, and hence felicitous. The venerable prac-

titioners have assembled at this place to pay tribute to the shrine and call

the sacred names of the Buddhas, so as to help the deceased’s spirit

advance swiftly toward the Pure Land. May I respectfully request prac-

titioners to intone the sacred names: The Luminous Pure Dharma Body

Vairocana Buddha, and so on.

Next, the director of practitioners’ affairs calls for chanting the Mahākaruṇā-dhāraṇī and intones the invocation of merit transference:

With this prayer and sutra chanting, we dedicate the merit thereby

accrued to the venerable practitioner So-and-so, who has just entered

ultimate quiescence. We humbly wish that his spirit surpasses the pure

sanctuary, that his karmas be free of worldly defilement, that the lotus

bloom opens its noblest blossom, and that the Buddha grant him the

certificate of supreme destiny. I humbly request the practitioners once

again to intone the prayer: Veneration to the Buddhas in the ten direc-

tions and the three times, and so on.

The guest-reception official calls for the chanting of the Śūraṃgamadhāraṇīs and intones the invocation of merit transference:

With this chanting, we dedicate the merit thereby accrued to the ven-

erable practitioner So-and-so, who has just entered ultimate quies-

cence. We wish that this will enshrine the transcendent abode of his

realization: Veneration to the Buddhas in the ten directions and the

three times.

When this is done, the abbot returns to his position at the higher end of the east order line and remains standing there. The practitioners of the Zen world, the colleagues, practitioners from the same native province, and those related in Dharma lineage conduct the funeral rite of offerings in due order. Finally, the chanting of the Mahākaruṇā-dhāraṇī is called for. The invocation of merit transference is the same as before.

5. The Funeral Procession

[Before] the procession to the funeral site begins, it is a general rule that the treasury official instructs the attendants in charge of the workmen to prepare firewood for the cremation and mobilize various workmen. After all preparations for the funeral procession have been completed, including [gathering] musical instruments such as cymbals and drums, streamers, artificial flowers to scatter, incense and candles, a portable shrine carriage, and so on, the night before [the funeral] the practice hall office attendant reports that everything is ready to the abbot and the dual order officials and also posts a signboard indicating the schedule for the funeral procession. The next morning, after the [octagonal post] is struck with the mallet to signal that the first serving of rice gruel has been completed, the director of practitioners’ affairs makes an additional strike and announces:

This announcement is for all practitioners. After breakfast, you are

requested to participate in the procession to accompany the deceased

to the cremation site. Except for those who are on duty at the practi-

tioners’ quarters and in charge of guarding the practice hall, everyone

is equally required to participate. Respectfully stated.

Then the director of practitioners’ affairs once again strikes the [octagonal wooden post] with the mallet to signal the end of his announcement, and, with a bow to the altar of the guardian bodhisattva, turns toward the abbot and bows. Straightening his posture by the board-edge of the primary seat official, he proceeds to make a round through the aisles of the hall up to the outer hall, and once again returns to the inner hall to bow toward the altar before going out. If the event coincides with the day of the imperial birthday, the [post should not be struck] and the practice hall office attendant must at once report this to the abbot and the dual order officials.

When breakfast is over, it is announced at the hall:

May I request the primary seat official and all practitioners to attend

the service of sutra chanting at the infirmary hall, scheduled to begin

at the sound of the bell.

At the sound of the practice hall bell, the practitioners assemble and the director of practitioners’ affairs intones a prayer. When this is over, the director must announce concisely and mindfully:

We are about to raise the shrine of the departed spirit and proceed to

the place where the memorable rite of cremation will take place. May

practitioners intone the sacred names of the Buddhas and thereby express

the ascending path and assist the spirit in its passage. Veneration to the

Luminous Pure Dharma Body Vairocana Buddha, and so on.

Thereupon, the abbot moves to the higher position of the east order,