勅修百丈清規 7.110

7.110

湯　庫司今晚就雲堂點湯一中。特為首座大眾。

invited, the seat assignment tablets are displayed in front of the outer practice hall. The seat of the primary seat official must face the abbot, while the seats of the practitioners are arranged in both the higher- and lower-ranking sections, and an attendant is specially assigned to the person for whom the serving is being conducted.

When the prayer chanting is over, a series of drumrolls (identical to the noon meal signal) takes place. The practitioners proceed to take their seats at their respective meal positions, while all of the training officials take their seats on the front hall raised sitting platform. The head administrative official enters the hall immediately after them. He greets the primary seat official, inviting him to move from his seat, and requests the other training officials to move up one seat, then guides the primary seat official to his specially prepared place [directly facing the abbot across the hall]. The official then goes out of the hall, passing to the right of the altar of the guardian bodhisattva, receives the abbot, and escorts him into the hall. As the alms-serving master gently strikes the bell located in the outer hall seven times, the head

administrative official escorts the abbot to his seat, and, stepping toward the primary seat official, greets him and bids him to take his seat. Thereupon, the head administrative official, beginning from the primary seat official’s seat, makes a round through the inner hall, the outer hall, and the higher- and lowerranking sections, then returns to in front of the altar and bows. The practitioners then take their seats.

The head administrative official burns incense, proceeds to the outer hall in both sections, returns to the altar, and places his incense case on it. Immediately he approaches the main guest, the primary seat official, and bows, then, moving back to the right of the altar, goes before the abbot and bows. He makes another round through the hall with his head down, goes to the outer hall, and then returns to the mid-inner hall, bows [before the altar], and remains standing there. When the practice hall bell is struck twice, he makes the first serving of sweet hot water to the abbot and the primary seat official, and then commences the serving for the practitioners throughout the hall. When [the first serving] is completed and when all the tea jars have been retrieved from the hall, he goes before the primary seat official (i.e., the main guest) and bows. Then turning back to the right of the altar, he proceeds to the altar of the guardian bodhisattva and performs three prostrations with fully opened sitting cloth.

Thereupon, the head administrative official makes another round through the inner [and outer] halls. He then leads the other administrative officials before the abbot and all perform in unison the formality of two prostrations with opened sitting cloth and three prostrations with unopened sitting cloth. On the first opening of the sitting cloth, he says:

Despite the humble quality of this serving, the venerable has granted

us his compassionate presence on this day. This is most gratifying to

us, sir.

On the second opening, he says:

On this day and at this respectful moment, we wish that the venerable

master of the temple may enjoy every blessing in daily life.

Stepping back, he and the east order officials complete the formal greeting with three prostrations with unopened sitting cloth. They then immedi-

ately turn around and withdraw by passing behind the right side of the altar, go out to the outer hall, and take their places in line. The primary seat official comes out after them and expresses his thanks to the head administrative official by performing a full prostration with unopened sitting cloth, and once again returns to his special seat from the side of the higher-ranking section.

The head administrative official once again enters the hall to burn incense and withdraws. The practice hall office attendant announces: “May the practitioners take their bowls down.”

An attendant carries in the evening meal set on a table for the abbot and the primary seat official respectively, while the practitioners open their almsbowls.

(The west order officials, however, do not take their bowls down; they will be provided with a meal by the kitchen office.)

When the evening meal has been served and is completed, the practitioners withdraw at the signal of three drumbeats.

[Prior to this special serving,] the abbot issues an announcement on the bulletin board to excuse the formal propriety, as follows:

On such-and-such celebration day and on the following day, the pro-

priety will be received at the Dharma hall, so there is no need to come

to the abbot’s office. It is respectfully wished that this must be made

known to every resident practitioner. So stated for consideration by

So-and-so, abbot of this temple.

This announcement is posted on the higher-ranking section of the practice hall, and the practice hall bell will not be struck to cancel the evening session.

(According to the notices put up by various groups, each member visits the meeting sponsored by each regional group.)

There is no difference in these proceedings for any of the four annual celebration days, the only exception being that on the winter solstice day, after the serving of sweet hot water, some fruit and an evening meal will be served.

Format of the Announcement of the

Special Serving of Sweet Hot Water

This evening at the practice hall, the administrative office will conduct

a special serving of sweet hot water in honor of the primary seat official

and the practitioners in order to express the propriety of such-and-such

celebration day. It is earnestly wished that all practitioners, with due

compassion, be present at this occasion.

Date and month

Respectfully stated by So-and-so

Bhikṣu of the Administrative Office

4. The Propriety for the Inauguration

of the Summer Retreat

At 3:00 A.M. on the appointed day, the propriety of burning incense and

prostrations with opened sitting cloth should be conducted before the abbot

at his office by all the resident practitioners of the temple, namely, the dual

order officials, the retired officials of higher and lower ranks, those from

the Zen world, the subfunctionaries, those who come from the same province,

and the direct disciples of the abbot. [This propriety is not required] if an

announcement excusing it is posted on the bulletin board in the outer prac-

tice hall. The assistant official notifies the abbot that his ascent to the Dharma

hall is in order, instructs the attendants to inform the practitioners, and posts

the tablet with the notice.

After the morning rice gruel, when the abbot has completed preaching,

he explains the entire process of the required proprieties in thorough detail:

After his descent, the abbot is obliged to first exchange:

1) a propriety with the west hall official of a prostration with unopened

sitting cloth;

2) Next, a propriety to respond to the head administrative official for

the propriety of two prostrations with opened sitting cloth and three pros-

trations with unopened sitting cloth;

3) Next, a propriety to respond to the primary seat official and the prac-

titioners for their performance of two prostrations with opened sitting cloth

and three prostrations with unopened sitting cloth;

4) The head administrative official who has returned to his office receives

the primary seat official accompanied by the practitioners, and exchanges the propriety of three prostrations with unopened sitting cloth with the primary seat official and the practitioners;

5) The primary seat official returns to the practice hall, waiting at the higher-ranking section of the outer hall, and receives the rear hall primary seat official’s visit accompanied by the practitioners, who arrive at the lowerranking section of the outer hall, and exchange the propriety of three prostrations with unopened sitting cloth;

6) After this is done, all members take their places as prescribed by the chart of prayer chanting service in the outer hall. The primary seat official leads the practitioners into the hall and, while making a round through the hall, each takes his place at his prescribed position. The primary seat official then leaves his place, burns incense before the altar, performs three prostrations with fully opened sitting cloth, and makes a round through the inner and outer halls before returning to his place. When [the primary seat official] has returned to his position, the attendant in charge of proceedings announces:

The primary seat official’s return greeting to the practitioners, and the

propriety of three prostrations with unopened sitting cloth is in order.

The practitioners then perform three prostrations with unopened sitting cloth;

7) Next, the head administrative official enters the hall, burns incense before the altar, performs three prostrations with fully opened sitting cloth, immediately makes a round through the hall, and then stands at his place by the altar’s board-edge. The attendant announces:

The head administrative official’s return greeting to the practitioners

and the propriety of three prostrations with unopened sitting cloth is

in order.

After exchanging three prostrations with unopened sitting cloth, the head administrative official remains and waits for the arrival of the abbot.

8) [Finally,] the abbot enters the practice hall, burns incense, performs three prostrations with fully opened sitting cloth, then immediately makes a round through the hall and returns to his place. The attendant announces:

The abbot’s exchange of greeting with the practitioners and the pro-

priety of three prostrations with unopened sitting cloth is in order.

Again the attendant announces:

The practitioners are required to perform in unison the propriety of

three prostrations with unopened sitting cloth.

Following this, the abbot is scheduled to make a round through the various quarters of the temple.

When the abbot descends from the rostrum seat, the attendants promptly bring incense, candles, tables, incense burners, and water vases into the Dharma hall and finish setting up the tables in a straight line. The west hall ranking official steps forward to perform prostrations. Next, the head administrative official steps forward to burn incense and perform the propriety of two prostrations with opened sitting cloth and three prostrations with unopened sitting cloth. On the first opening [of the sitting cloth] he says:

Having been granted an opportunity to serve the venerable during this

year’s retreat, I am obliged to pray for nothing but the safe fulfillment

of my duty with the assisting power of the Dharma, sir.

On the second opening he says:

On this severe summer day and at this respectful moment, I reveren-

tially wish that the venerable master of this temple may enjoy every

blessing in daily life.

Stepping back, he completes his greeting with three prostrations with unopened sitting cloth, to which the abbot responds with a single prostration. Next, the primary seat official, leading the practitioners, burns incense, and the retired officials and residents of the various quarters all follow the primary seat official and burn incense in due order. The propriety of two prostrations with opened sitting cloth and three prostrations with unopened sitting cloth and both wordings of the greeting are all identical.

When the officials step back, the abbot sits down cross-legged and the assistant officials and his disciples burn incense and perform [the same set of] prostrations. Next, the ceremonial leader, representing the group of novice

attendants, burns incense and performs prostrations. Next, the lay carpentry leader, leading the foremen, clerical workers, sedan chair bearers, various workmen and so on, all pay homage to the abbot.

The primary seat official, leading the practitioners, visits the administrative office and exchanges with the head administrative official the propriety of three prostrations with unopened sitting cloth. The rear hall primary seat official, leading the practitioners, returns to the lower-ranking section of the practice hall and takes his place, while the front hall primary seat official takes his place in the higher-ranking section. The practice hall office attendant announces:

The fellow practitioners’ exchange of the propriety with the primary

seat official is in order.

They perform three prostrations with unopened sitting cloth and immediately take their places at their respective positions as prescribed in the prayer chanting seating chart. The primary seat official enters the inner hall, leading the practitioners in a partial round, then stops at his place and remains standing there; [the practitioners also stop and stand at their respective places]. The assistant official and the newly arrived practitioners make a half- round of the hall, while the assistant takes his place behind the altar and the new arrivals take their places [before the rear entrance,] facing each other. The primary seat official goes before the altar, burns incense, performs three prostrations with fully opened sitting cloth, and immediately makes a round through the hall before returning to his place. The attendant announces:

The primary seat official returns the propriety to the practitioners.

The practitioners then perform three prostrations with unopened sitting cloth.

[Next,] the head administrative official enters the hall, burns incense, performs prostrations with fully opened sitting cloth, immediately makes a round through the hall, and stands at his place by the altar’s board-edge. The attendant announces:

The head administrative official returns the propriety to the practi-

tioners.

The practitioners once again perform three prostrations with unopened

sitting cloth in unison. After this is done, however, the official does not leave

the hall. The abbot enters the hall, burns incense before the altar, and performs

three prostrations with opened sitting cloth, then proceeds to make a round

through the hall and returns to his seat.

(The direct disciples of the abbot must leave the hall from the rear

entrance without fail to avoid congestion. When all the proprieties have com-

pleted, they return to their places for tea.)

The attendant announces again:

The venerable master abbot’s exchange of the propriety with the prac-

titioners is in order.

All the practitioners perform three prostrations with unopened sitting

cloth in unison. Another announcement follows:

The return propriety of the practitioners in unison is in order.

Then all again perform three prostrations with unopened sitting cloth.

(In the Ancient Regulations, it is said that if the administrative official

leaves before the abbot enters the hall, the latter has no opportunity to make

a return greeting to the former. Perhaps, the rule that “whoever makes a pro-

priety of greeting ought to receive a return propriety” has been instituted

recently, since the time of the Venerable Xiyu [i.e., Shaotan, ca. thirteenth

century] and the Venerable Yishan [i.e., Lewan, ca. thirteenth–fourteeth cen-

turies]. Those who are well versed regard this rule as correct.)

The head administrative official shifts his position and goes out of the

hall, followed by the assistant official and the new arrivals.

The assistant official returns to the inner hall and with the gesture of a