勅修百丈清規 2.7

2.7

The single Buddha, coming into this world, has made multiple

Buddhas appear and sit on a lotus flower,

The single light issuing from the Buddha’s forehead illuminates

all three worlds,

The single flow of nectar benefits all sentient beings born through

the four different modes at once.

Completing the word of tribute, he immediately calls for chanting the verse of bathing the [image of the infant] Buddha:

Now I respectfully bathe the Tathāgatas,

The merit body (sambhogakāya) that embellishes their pure insight,

I wish all sentient beings to be freed from the five kinds of defilement,

And equally realize the pure Dharma body (dharmakāya) of the

Tathāgata.

When all the practitioners complete their circuit around [the hall] and bathing of the statue, [using the dippers to pour sweet water from the tray over the figure,] the director calls for the chanting of the Śūraṃgama-dhāraṇīs and concludes with the following invocation of merit transference:

We dedicate the merit accrued from this chanting to the absolute truth

and ultimate reality for the sake of adorning the bodhi that is the fruit

of Buddhahood. We wish thereby to discharge the four kinds of indebt-

edness and help those who abide in the three worlds to equally real-

ize enlightenment and, together with all sentient beings of the Dharma

world, we wish to perfectly realize omniscient knowledge (sarva-

jñāna). Veneration to the Buddhas of the ten directions and the three

times, and so on.

3. The Word of Tribute

The Great Ocean is profoundly quiescent, and we hear nothing but the

rumbling vibration of its current. The Great Void is totally transparent,

and we see nothing but the latitudinal movement of its respective weft

and warp. Due to the greatness of the Dharma body, it manifests itself

within phenomenal traces by having sentient beings respond to an

appointed time, helping them all to realize perfect enlightenment. In the

time of moral and social degeneration, it manifests itself as Śākyamuni’s

birth. [The Śākya prince] abandoned his luxurious garments and took

up filthy clothes in order to wander [in pursuit of enlightenment]. He

abandoned the illusory treasure city and ascended the summit of the

treasure mountain. Yet he returned [to this world] to lead others, hand

in hand. Though his initial birthday has been honored repeatedly ever

since, we can never fully repay our indebtedness. We earnestly wish and

implore: May the winds of truth be fanned into this latter-day world, and

the shining sun of insight be raised in the center of the sky. Though there

is neither Buddha nor [Māra], may each of all dharmas proclaim the

precious verses of bathing the Buddha. Though there is neither filth nor

purity, may particle after particle of dust cleanse the golden body.

III. The Buddha’s Enlightenment

and Nirvana

1. The Buddha’s Enlightenment Day

Prior to the day marking the Buddha’s enlightenment, the practice hall official collects contributions from the practitioners and entrusts the collection to the head administrative official in order to obtain various offerings. He is also obliged to have the word of tribute composed and approved. (This process is identical to that of the Buddha’s birthday commemoration.) [On the day commemorating the Buddha’s enlightenment,] the abbot ascends the rostrum seat of the Dharma hall and celebrates the day by offering incense and addressing [the assembly] as follows:

On the day of the Buddha’s enlightenment, So-and-so Bhikṣu, abbot

of Such-and-such Temple, remote descendant of the Buddha’s teach-

ing, respectfully offers precious incense for the Great Teacher and

Original Patriarch Śākyamuni Tathāgata, to express our care and devo-

tion on behalf of all the sentient beings of the Dharma world. We wish,

in part, to discharge our indebtedness to the compassion bestowed

upon us and, in part, to wish that all sentient beings of the Dharma

world will equally realize perfect enlightenment.

Next, the abbot sits cross-legged on the rostrum seat and says:

On the eighth day of the twelfth month, we reverently greet the com-

memorative day on which the Original Patriarch Śākyamuni Tathā-

gata, the Great Teacher, realized enlightenment. Assembling all the

practitioners of this temple and offering incense, flowers, candles, and

tea, as well as fruit and delicacies, we have expressed our care and

devotion to the original master of our religion. From now, I, So-and-

so Bhikṣu, abbot of Such-and-such Temple, remote descendant of the

Buddha’s teaching, shall preach the vehicle of his religious salvation

from this rostrum seat. With the special merit thereby accrued, we wish

in part to discharge our indebtedness to the compassion bestowed upon

us and, in part, along with all sentient beings of the Dharma world,

wish for them to discover their own insight and turn the great wheel

of the Dharma by entering into each infinitesimal particle.

Next, the abbot preaches and afterward addresses the assembly again, as follows:

I respectfully announce that we shall leave this hall and, with proper

dignity and decorum, proceed to the hall of the great Buddha to chant

sutras.

The abbot then descends the rostrum seat and leads the assembly. Entering the Buddha hall, he offers incense, performs three prostrations with opened sitting cloth, and conducts the rite of offerings. When he kneels to burn incense on a portable incense burner, the director of practitioners’ affairs begins to read the word of tribute for the Buddha:

Perceiving the morning star over Mount Perfect Enlightenment

(Zhengjueshan), the Buddha realized the path. Lifting the sun of insight

in the great universe composed of a thousand universes, he thereby let

its illumination flow forth [from generation to generation].

When the word of tribute is completed, the director immediately calls for chanting the sutras and concludes with the same invocation of merit transference as before.

2. The Buddha’s Nirvana Day

On the day of commemoration for the Buddha’s nirvana, initially the abbot offers incense at the Buddha hall to conduct the mid-month prayer chanting for imperial well-being, and following that he ascends the rostrum seat at the Dharma hall for preaching as usual. At the moment of incense offering, he addresses the assembly:

On this day of the Buddha’s nirvana, So-and-so Bhikṣu, abbot of

Such-and-such Temple, remote descendant of the Buddha’s teaching,

respectfully offers precious incense to express our care and devotion

for the Great Teacher and Original Patriarch Śākyamuni Tathāgata. We

wish, in part, to discharge our indebtedness for his compassion in bestow-

ing refuge on us and, in part, to express, along with all sentient beings

of the Dharma world, our dear remembrance of him. May his Dharma

body be ever present, may his Dharma wheel turn once again, and may

all sentient beings attain insight into the nature of true existence as nei-

ther origination nor cessation (anutpattikadharmakṣānti; wushengren).

Next, the abbot sits cross-legged on the rostrum seat and says:

On the fifteenth day of the second month, we reverently honor the com-

memorative day of parinirvāṇa on which the Original Patriarch, Great

Teacher Śākyamuni Tathāgata, entered total cessation. Assembling the

practitioners and reverently offering incense, flowers, candles, tea,

fruit, and delicacies, we express our care and devotion to the master.

I, So-and-so Bhikṣu, abbot of this temple, remote descendant of the

Buddha’s teaching, have ascended this rostrum seat in the Dharma hall

and now preach the wondrous mind of nirvana. With the special merit

accrued thereby, we wish, in part, to discharge our indebtedness to the

compassion bestowed on us, and in part, along with all sentient beings

of the Dharma world, to perfectly realize omniscient knowledge.

Next, the abbot preaches, and afterward addresses the assembly again:

I respectfully speak to you. Upon descending from our seats, we shall

leave this hall and proceed to the Buddha hall with dignity and deco-

rum and chant sutras for this Nirvana Day.

The abbot descends the rostrum seat and leads the practitioners. Entering the Buddha hall, he offers incense, performs three prostrations with opened sitting cloth, and kneels to burn incense on a portable incense burner. Meanwhile the director of practitioners’ affairs begins to read the word of tribute for the Buddha:

The pure Dharma body essentially has neither phenomenal appearance

nor disappearance but, through the power of the vow of great compas-

sion, it shows [its traces] as phenomenal appearance or nonappearance.