勅修百丈清規 2.60

2.60

bly of practitioners; if the offense is light, a monetary fine, or a fine of incense

or oil may be levied and [the punishment] announced on the temple’s bul-

letin board. If one’s conduct involves money and goods, his responsibility

is pressed with a written record by a consensus of jurors. Through just and

confidential [action], the offender may be brought to repent and rectify his

wrongdoing by himself.

It is said in the Ancient Regulations:

When any practitioner steals another’s possessions, or fights with oth-

ers, or transgresses by drinking alcohol or engaging in sexual inter-

course, he must be quickly separated from other practitioners and

expelled from the temple community, because if he were allowed instead

to stay on the community would eventually become corrupt.

Another verse states:

If an offense is grave, the offender’s robe and almsbowl must be burned.

His shame must be exposed to his fellow practitioners, and he must be

expelled from the temple’s side gate.

Zen Master Dahui, while serving as abbot of Ayuwangsi, put up an announcement to instruct his director of practitioners’ affairs that anyone who argued with others in an unenlightened way would not be welcome and would be dismissed from the temple, regardless of whether he may be right or wrong. In some cases, even if a person is right [in an argument or discussion], he should be shunned. Even if such a person may feel not quite satisfied, insofar as he is a practitioner he must bear it with perseverance. If instead he continues to argue and insists upon being right, this is an unenlightened attitude. Hence, rejecting both [parties to an argument, regardless of who is right and who is wrong,] is intended to preempt the source of argument before it arises.

10. Instructing Young Novices

In general, when the ascent to the Dharma hall is completed on the first day, mid-month day, and every-fifth-day of each month, the ceremonial leader’s attendant requests the attendant in charge of the meal proceeding to notify the novice attendants of the various offices of the schedule of the master’s lecture, and to post a signboard in front of the attendants’ hall. When the evening bell is tolled, the wooden sounding board at their attendent novices’ hall is struck three times to call them to assemble. The ceremonial leader leads the assembly of novice attendants first to visit the Buddha hall, then the patriarch’s hall, practice hall, and practitioners’ quarters. At each location, they announce in unison, “We are here, sir.” Thereafter, they go to the abbot’s reception hall and line up to wait for him.

Escorted by the ceremonial leader, the abbot comes into the reception hall and takes his seat. The ceremonial leader burns incense and, returning to his place, says in a low voice, “We are here, sir.” This is repeated by all the novice attendants in unison, and then [they say] softly, “How are you, sir?” The [group] performs three prostrations in unison and then listen attentively to the abbot’s disciplinary [admonitions] and instructions. When it is over, the novice attendants again perform three prostrations, and the ceremonial leader announces, “Goodbye, sir,” repeated in unison by the novices in lower voices. After a bow, they leave the hall.

If the abbot happens to be occupied with some other engagement [when the assembly arrives], the meal proceeding attendant says, “We come for the

evening session, thanking the abbot for his compassion.” All greet him, saying in unison, “How are you, sir?” The same attendant next announces, extending his voice, “The session is called off.” All say together, “Goodbye, sir,” bow in unison, and leave.

11. General Preaching for Novice Attendants

The ceremonial leader visits the office of the abbot’s assistants in advance, and after burning incense and performing prostrations, requests the assistant in charge to request the abbot to preach. When the request is granted, the ceremonial leader strikes the wooden sounding board located at the novice attendants’ hall to assemble them and thereupon proceeds to the reception hall to wait for the abbot. Following the assistant in charge, the ceremonial leader goes in to escort the abbot. When the abbot takes his seat, the ceremonial leader bows to him, in unison with the novice attendants, burns incense, and, returning to his place, greets him in a low voice, “How are you, sir?” repeated in unison by the novices in a lower voice. All in unison perform nine prostrations. The ceremonial leader steps forward and says:

I, So-and-so, and others have wished to receive your preaching for

some time. We implore you, in your compassion, to grant us the oppor-

tunity to hear your preaching on the teaching of the causality of depend-

ent origination.

With a bow, he returns to his former position.

Next day, the signboard of “general preaching” should be posted at the novice attendants’ hall. A seat for the abbot, an incense table, and candle stands are placed in the hall. After notifying the novices, the ceremonial leader goes to invite the dual order officials to participate, while the ceremonial assistant, leading the novices, receives the officials at the hall entrance. The ceremonial leader and the hall master go to the office of the practitioner assistants and escort the abbot to the attendants’ hall. All the novice attendants welcome him at the hall entrance. When [the abbot] takes his seat, the [abbot’s] assistant bows and stands at his side. After the dual order officials complete their greetings, the assistant in charge burns incense and requests the abbot to preach. The ceremonial leader, leading the novices, burns incense, offers greetings, and performs three prostrations. Then, dividing the novice

attendants, he has them take their respective positions behind the east and west order officials. After the preaching has been attentively heard, the ceremonial leader, once again leading the novice attendants, has them line up and perform