勅修百丈清規 3

The Baizhang Zen Monastic Regulations 3

Language: English

3.8

When the official delegate arrives at the designated temple, he meets first

with the guest reception official and together they meet with the head admin-

istrative official. After this, the official delegate is escorted to the guest house.

Then he visits the primary seat official as well as the various quarters, and

finally arrives at the office of the abbot’s assistants where he explains the

purpose of his visit. The official assistant reports the matter to the abbot and

waits for his reply as to whether the invitation is accepted. If [the abbot]

accepts, a crepe-wrapped table for the official documents must be prepared.

The dual order officials are called to the abbot’s office, and when they arrive

they escort the abbot to meet with the official delegate. The latter bows and

says:

May the Venerable Abbot be seated in the cross-legged meditation pos-

ture.

The abbot sits in the center. The official delegate burns incense and performs three full prostrations with opened sitting cloth. He then steps forward and says:

As I have been entrusted to be the delegate of Such-and-such Temple,

it is my supreme joy to see your countenance filled with compassion.

Thereupon [the delegate] performs another set of three prostrations, saying:

I respectfully wish at this moment on this day that all is well and felic-

itous with the newly appointed abbot, great teacher.

He then once again performs three prostrations and folds his sitting cloth. Having responded to each set of prostrations with a single greeting, the abbot then says:

Though I am hesitant, I have accepted this invitation. I fear that I may

not be faultless in the Zen tradition. I am, however, concerned with

your traveling a long distance and am most grateful for it.

Thereupon, the official delegate presents the official documents for the prospective appointee. The newly appointed abbot receives them, places them on the table, and opens the letters to read through them, while his assistant respectfully requests the guest to take his seat.

(The official delegate is obliged to take his seat opposite the prospective abbot. The west hall ranking official of the host temple sits at a lower position below the guest on this occasion, in order to show his respect for the official delegate who has traveled a long distance.)

When they finish drinking tea, the two officials escort the delegate to the guest house.

The practice hall attendant rings the hall bell to summon the practitioners to the abbot’s office to express their congratulations. The head administrative official prepares incense, and the primary seat official and administrative officials burn incense. Upon the first opening of the sitting cloth, they say:

Our religion is fortunate, and, as we have observed, this community

has been made joyous by your transfer and promotion. We are most

delighted with this event.

On the second opening of the sitting cloth they say:

At this time and on this day, we all wish that everything is well and

felicitous with the newly appointed master and great teacher.

They complete their formal greeting with three prostrations with unopened sitting cloth. The abbot performs a single prostration and replies:

I have been chosen for the new position due to good fortune. Yet, I

fear I may not warrant this level of praise and congratulation. I am

humble about this opportunity.

When the practitioners depart, the guest reception official escorts the official delegate on a round through the practitioners’ quarters. The [guest reception official] then receives the record of the temple’s assets and the gift items brought from the temple for which the new appointment has been made. That evening a special serving of sweet hot water and evening meal should be made, and later there should be another serving of sweet hot water and fruit. The dual order officials as well as the retired officials participate in these events. The head administrative official bears the responsibility for fulfilling these activities.

3. The Ascent to the Dharma Hall

to Announce the New Appointment

The day after the invitation has been accepted, the abbot ascends to the Dharma hall to make the announcement [of his new appointment]. His assistant has made arrangements beforehand, assigning the novice attendants to place the official documents brought by the guest delegate on the right side below the rostrum seat and to set up a seat for an official who will read the documents on behalf of the delegate. This role is likely performed by the host temple’s director of practitioners’ affairs, whom the delegate has previously requested. The proceeding of the event is identical with an ordinary ascent to the Dharma hall, beginning with the assistant’s notifying the abbot and the drum signaling his entrance into the hall. When the abbot reaches the rostrum seat he remains standing there. An incense table is placed before him. The official delegate burns incense and presents the documents one by one. He burns incense and then passes the documents to the abbot, and each time the abbot

says a prayer before burning incense and uttering the word of insight. When all the documents have been read in this manner, the delegate burns incense and performs the propriety of two prostrations with opened sitting cloth and three prostrations with unopened sitting cloth. If this formality is excused by the abbot at his discretion, [the delegate] performs only a single prostration with unopened sitting cloth. When the table is removed, the master ascends the high seat, preaches the Dharma, and thanks the participants before concluding his discourse.

4. The Delegate’s Special Serving of Tea

and a Meal for the New Appointee

The delegate meets with the new appointee beforehand to determine the cost of the noon meal for the practitioners and they agree on the appropriate ratios of their [respective temple’s] financial responsibility. They add to the funds for gifts for the incumbent and retired dual order officials and to those practitioners from the same native province as the abbot-appointee or those who are related in his Dharma lineage, and to those who have long been engaged in assisting and serving the abbot. The funds for the noon meal and so on must be transferred beforehand by the official delegate to the treasury official.

When the appointed day comes, the guest delegate visits the abbot’s office, burns incense, and makes a formal request by performing the propriety of two prostrations with opened sitting cloth and three prostrations with unopened sitting cloth. At the first opening of the sitting cloth, he says:

I have made preparations for a special serving in the practice hall at

noon today. May you in your compassion grant me the honor of your

presence at this occasion, though I am gravely ashamed of the hum-

ble offering.

On opening the sitting cloth the second time, he says:

At this time and on this day, I wish that all is well and felicitous with

the newly appointed abbot and great master.

[The delegate] concludes his formal request by performing three pros-

3.12

trations with unopened sitting cloth. The abbot replies with a single prostration. Thereupon, the abbot’s guest master notifies the dual order officials

and the retired officials (of the individual quarters), while the official delegate’s attendant visits the various quarters to notify the members of the temple community about the schedule of the special serving to be conducted by the guest delegate. A signboard announcing the special serving should also be posted in the practice hall. The abbot’s main seat should be placed in the practice hall; the guest delegate’s seat is prepared at the first place on the raised sitting platform on the west hall official’s side [of the practice hall]. Signboards announcing the serving of tea and sweet hot water must be posted on each side of the practice hall entrance.

At the time of the noon meal, the guest delegate waits for the abbot outside the hall. They enter the hall and the abbot reaches his place. The delegate requests him to take his seat, returns to mid-hall to bow, and after requesting the practitioners to take their seats he offers incense to the altar of the guardian bodhisattva. Next he burns incense facing the higher [right] and lower [left] positions on the raised platform of the inner hall, and then does the same in the outer hall. When he returns to the inner hall to bow, the serving of food begins, and when this is completed, he again offers incense and places monetary gifts on the altar, one for the abbot and another for the practitioners. He then returns to his seat for the meal.

At the time when the water left over from washing the bowls is collected from each practitioner, a drum signals the guest delegate to rise from his seat and proceed to burn incense for the serving of tea. The procedure is identical to that of the meal serving. When the serving of tea is completed and the attendants have left the hall, he bows as before [when requesting the abbot and the practitioners to drink tea]. When the abbot puts his cup down, [the guest delegate] performs the formal propriety of two prostrations with opened sitting cloth and three prostrations with unopened sitting cloth. At the first opening of his sitting cloth, he says:

I, So-and-so, have humbly offered this meal and have received your

compassionate presence. This is my greatest joy.

As he opens his sitting cloth for the second time, he makes polite enquiries [into the abbot’s health, the weather, and the like], and finishes with three prostrations with unopened sitting cloth. He accompanies the abbot as far as the hall entrance, returns to the inner hall to burn incense, performs three prostrations

with fully opened sitting cloth toward the altar of the guardian bodhisattva, and makes a round through the aisles of the practice hall, ending with bows in the outer hall as well as in the inner hall. When he retrieves the tea bowl from the altar, three drum rolls signal his departure from the practice hall. The guest delegate at once proceeds to the abbot’s office to express his gratitude. Next, he goes to the head administrative official to thank him for his management of the almsgiving. Once again he returns to the abbot to invite him to the evening meal. Later that evening, after the dinner, there should be a serving of sweet hot water and cake, for which the dual order officials and the retired officials are invited as participants.

5. The Host Temple’s Special Dinner Reception

for the New Appointee and Guest Delegate

The head administrative official convenes a meeting to prepare for a special dinner reception and discuss matters of offering monetary gifts, as is regularly done on such occasions. The day before the event, the head administrative official goes to the newly appointed abbot to formally invite him by burning incense and performing prostrations. Then he goes to the guest house to invite the official delegate to the reception. Monetary gifts must be made in appropriate amounts, and are not to be contemptuously meager. The wording [of invitations] and decorum to be used are identical to those of ordinary special servings.

The abbot’s high seat should be placed in the reception hall, with the seat of the guest delegate to its right. The seats of the dual order officials are at their usual places, facing each other from each side of the hall; the seats of the retired officials are across the hall, facing the high seat; and those of the [abbot’s] assistants are behind the administrative officials. The retinue of servants who accompanied the guest official should be provided with a monetary bonus along with the special reception.

It has happened practically everywhere that when an abbot is appointed to serve at another temple, there are always some practitioners and attendants [of his old temple] who tend to take vengeance upon him for past grudges, spreading rumors to government officials and patrons and among ordinary people. Simply because of a single ignorant person, a temple can fall into infamy. Well-established senior practitioners or lay protectors [of

the temple], or those of neighboring temples, must take heed of the possibility

of such occurrences. Whenever someone progresses to become the abbot of

another temple, it would be better to leave behind a feeling of love and respect.

6. Farewell Ascent to the Dharma Hall

and Reception of Tea and Sweet Hot Water

On the day of departure, the guest delegate visits all the quarters to bid

farewell. The newly appointed abbot ascends the rostrum seat of the Dharma

hall and expresses his thanks to the dual order officials, retired officials, and

practitioners. When [the abbot] descends from the high seat, he turns toward

the high seat at the signal of three drumrolls and performs three prostrations

3.16

with unopened sitting cloth in unison with the practitioners. He then departs

from the western corridor of the Dharma hall. The practitioners see him off

at the temple gate, tolling the large bell and making various sounds with the

ritual instruments, while the attendants and workmen line up outside the gate.

The area surrounded by hanging curtains for the farewell serving should

be set up beforehand at the gate, and a high seat should be placed within the

space, facing the temple buildings. The primary seat official takes the main

seat facing outside, while the west hall ranking official and the retired officials

take their seats symmetrical to the main seat. The east and west order officials

are seated on both lines facing the high seat. The head administrative official

conducts the ceremonial serving. He requests the new appointee to take his

seat, respectfully burns incense, and returns to his own seat for serving tea.

When the tea bowls are collected, he once again stands up to burn incense and

returns to his seat for the serving of sweet hot water. When the serving is over,

the newly appointed abbot climbs into the sedan chair. Should the dual order

officials and the retired officials start to walk alongside the sedan chair, the

new appointee should thank them but stop them from doing so. The large bell

is tolled until the party is assumed to have [traveled out of earshot].

7. Inviting the West Hall Official

to Become Abbot

The guest delegate meets with the guest reception official upon his arrival, and

together they visit the office of abbot’s assistants. Through proper introduction

by the assistants, he meets with the abbot, burns incense, and performs prostrations with opened sitting cloth. When the meeting and serving of tea are concluded, the guest official is escorted to the guest house. Next, he visits the various official quarters to complete the formal greetings. Thereupon, through the abbot’s assistant, he states the purpose [of his visit to the abbot], saying:

Such-and-such Temple has commissioned me to invite Venerable So-

and-so to become its abbot.

The host abbot notifies the dual order officials and the retired officials of the matter, and together they visit the quarters of the invited west hall official. The documents and letters brought by the guest delegate are presented. The ceremonial procedure followed in the latter situation for burning incense and so forth is exactly identical to that of inviting an incumbent [abbot]. Should the [west hall official politely] decline the invitation, his close associates should encourage him to accept it. Upon his acceptance, the abbot invites the new appointee, the dual order officials, and the retired officials to a serving of tea. Thereupon, the new appointee is escorted to the guest house to receive congratulations from various officials and the practitioners in due order. After making rounds of the various quarters and exchanging formal greetings, the new appointee and the guest delegate are invited to a special serving of sweet hot water, an evening meal, and a later serving of sweet hot water and fruit at the abbot’s reception hall. The dual order officials are obliged to participate in these special servings.

8. Ascent to the Dharma Hall

by the New Appointee

(If the new appointee is a renowned ranking west hall official or the primary seat official, he is rightly recommended to conduct such an occasion.)

The evening before the day [of the ascent to the Dharma hall], the guest official should visit the host abbot with incense in his sleeve, perform three prostrations with unopened sitting cloth, and say:

I request you to invite the new appointee to have the opportunity of

ascending to the Dharma hall tomorrow.

The next day, after the morning meal, a table for the official documents

and a chair should be placed to the right of the rostrum seat in the Dharma hall. The abbot’s seat is placed to the left of the high seat. The practitioners are called to assemble by the drum signal. The abbot, entering into the hall, ascends the rostrum seat in similar manner as that of the every-fifth-day ascent to the Dharma hall.

The abbot signals his guest reception assistant to direct the new appointee to sit cross-legged. [The abbot] then eulogizes the opportunity for the new appointee who has accepted the appointment from the point of view of the Dharma, expresses his full support for the appointee’s acceptance, and offers the practitioners some words of explanation and consolation. Regardless of whether he relates any instructive Zen insight episode, the abbot descends from the high seat and then stands before the left-side chair, facing the practitioners.

(Songyuan invited Yanshi to take the opportunity to ascend the rostrum seat; Xiaoan likewise invited Songyuan to take such opportunity, but in neither case was a Zen insight episode given. On the other hand, Shiqiao invited Jianchang to [ascend the Dharma seat] and Xian also invited Fuan [to do so], but in both these cases Zen insight episodes were given.)

The official delegate together with the guest reception assistant go before the appointee and bow toward him. The appointee goes before the abbot and bows to him. Next, the dual order officials and the practitioners bow toward him in unison.

If the new appointee is the host abbot’s disciple in the Dharma lineage, the abbot grants him a robe and utters a word of insight. The appointed disciple, having donned [the robe], requests [the abbot] to sit cross-legged and performs three prostrations with opened sitting cloth. Without folding his sitting cloth, he greets [the abbot] with the following words:

So quickly trained as I have been, I am hesitant before my predeces-

sors. Yet, having been encouraged to accept the invitation, I feel it is

difficult to decline this public imperative. I cannot help feeling extremely

uneasy about it.

He once again performs three prostrations and says:

I wish on this day and at this time that all is well and felicitous with

your reverence, my original master and great teacher.

After another three prostrations, he folds his sitting cloth and steps for-

3.20

ward to bow. The abbot replies:

That to which this path is entrusted is but a single thread which may lead

to a great flourishing. Whether one is suitable or not is only of relative

importance. I wish you the best in maintaining it.

The new appointee then returns to stand to the right of the high chair.

The guest delegate hands over the documents to the new appointee, and the latter in turn expresses a word of insight for each [document] that he receives. If the appointee is not the abbot’s disciple, he comes before the high seat and bows toward the host abbot. Next he bows toward the west order official and the practitioners, and immediately moves to the right of the high seat, where he offers incense over the robe of Dharma transmission and the documents of his appointed temple, each time giving a word of insight. The guest delegate first requests the director of practitioners’ affairs to invite the official to read the documents. When the documents have been read, the new appointee utters a word of insight, pointing at the rostrum seat, and then, ascending the high seat, gives instructive words, conducts a question-and-answer session, instructs on doctrinal teachings, and expresses words of appreciation before completing the occasion.

When the new appointee completes the session, he descends the seat, comes before the abbot and formally greets him with the propriety of two prostrations with opened sitting cloth and three prostrations with unopened sitting cloth. At the first opening of the sitting cloth, he says:

Although I have just been appointed abbot, I may not be faultless with

the Zen tradition. I am greatly indebted to you and grateful for your

effort in polishing my training.

The abbot replies:

I rejoice and congratulate you in your appointment as the guide in the

human and heavenly worlds. It increases the illumination of the Buddha

like that of the sun. This is my greatest delight.

At the second opening [of the sitting cloth], the appointee says:

On this day and at this time, I together with others wish that all is well

and felicitous with your reverence, temple master and great teacher.

He completes the greeting with three prostrations with unopened sitting cloth. This formality may be excused at the abbot’s discretion.

Next, [the appointee] bows toward the dual order officials and the practitioners. The guest reception assistant escorts the new appointee on a round through the practitioners’ quarters to express appreciation. If the appointee is the abbot’s disciple, immediately after his descent from the high seat he performs three prostrations with fully opened sitting cloth before the abbot, and, stepping back, bows toward the officials and practitioners. The rest of the proceedings, such as making a round through the practitioners’ quarters, are just as before. If the appointee holds the status of a secondary rank in the west hall, there might be some variation in matters of formality at the discretion of the abbot.

9. The Guest Delegate’s Special Serving

of Tea for the New Appointee

The official delegate discusses with the new appointee the matter of the various monetary gifts to be made and determines the amounts for the abbot’s invitation for the new appointee to the Dharma hall, the practitioners, the official who reads the documents, as well as for the dual order officials, the retired officials, and those who come from the same native province and nearby native locality of the new appointee. After breakfast on the appointed day, the guest delegate visits the abbot with incense in his sleeve, performs a prostration with unopened sitting cloth, and requests:

This morning at noon, I shall offer a humble provision at the practice

hall for the new appointee. May you in your compassion grant us the

honor of your presence on this occasion.

He then visits the new appointee and makes the same request. The guest reception attendant at the abbot’s office and the official delegate’s attendant together visit each quarter to convey the invitation and post the signboard. The new appointee’s seat should be placed in the practice hall opposite the abbot’s, and the official delegate’s seat should be placed at the first position

of the raised sitting platform of the guest reception official in the outer hall. Signboards announcing the serving of tea and sweet hot water must be posted on each side of the hall entrance.

At the time of the noon meal, the new appointee is directed to wait for the abbot in front of the practice hall and together they enter the hall and bow toward the shrine. The guest delegate follows and respectfully requests first the host abbot and then the new appointee to take their respective seats. Thereupon, [the guest delegate] burns incense and conducts his ceremonial role as described previously. At the conclusion of the meal, the monetary gifts are made, tea is served, and the tea bowl is first collected from the new appointee. Then the official delegate goes before [the appointee], performs the formal propriety of two prostrations with opened sitting cloth and three prostrations with unopened sitting cloth, and then escorts him out through the rear entrance. The official delegate once again returns to the inner hall, performs the same formal greeting toward the abbot, and escorts him out through the front entrance. Once again he returns to the inner hall, burns incense, performs the propriety of three prostrations with fully opened sitting cloth, makes a round through the hall, and bows in the midouter hall. When the tea bowl is collected from the altar of the guardian bodhisattva, signaled by three drumbeats, [the delegate offical] leaves the hall. That evening, the new appointee is obliged to invite the guest delegate and others, as described previously, for a serving of sweet hot water, tea, and an evening meal.

10. The Host Temple’s Special Dinner Reception

for the New Appointee and the Delegate

The abbot’s seat should be placed in the main position in the reception hall and the new appointee’s seat is placed opposite it in the center, with the official delegate’s seat to the left of the abbot and those of the dual order offi-

3.24

cials and the retired officials on each side. The presentation of monetary gifts and ceremonial serving are as described previously.

11. The New Appointee’s Farewell Ascent

to the Dharma Hall and the Serving of

Tea and Sweet Hot Water

The new appointee and the official delegate visit the office of the abbot’s

assistants to secure the abbot’s permission for using the rostrum seat for conducting [the appointee’s] farewell ascent. The abbot’s seat should be placed to the left of the high seat. At the drum signal the practitioners assemble in the hall. When the abbot enters the hall and reaches his seat, the new appointee immediately goes before him and bows, then turns and bows toward the practitioners. He ascends the high seat, preaches, and descends. Thereupon, he greets the abbot with three prostrations with unopened sitting cloth. Next he faces the rostrum seat, makes a farewell greeting to the practitioners, and in unison with them performs three prostrations with unopened sitting cloth.

At the temple gate, a special seat is placed facing the temple buildings for the new appointee to receive a special serving of tea and sweet hot water. The dual order officials and the retired officials participate in the serving; the head administrative official is in charge of ceremonial conduct. It is the norm to see off the new appointee by tolling the large bell. If the appointee is second in rank after the west hall official, there should be no farewell ascent to the high seat. Before his departure, he visits the abbot together with the official delegate to burn incense and, after three prostrations with unopened sitting cloth, offers a farewell greeting. Next, he makes a round of the practitioners’ quarters to express farewell greetings to them. The farewell serving of tea and sweet hot water at the temple gate is as described previously.

IV. Inauguration of the New Abbot

1. Establishment of the Newly Appointed Abbot’s

Residency at the Temple

In ancient times, the new appointee, upon reaching the gate [of his new temple] in his traveling attire and hat, would remove his hat, pass through the gate, burn incense, and utter a word of insight. In front of the practice hall, he took off his traveling pack, washed his feet, donned a robe taken from his pack, and entered the hall. He then offered incense to the guardian bodhisattva and performed the formal worship through three prostrations with fully opened sitting cloth, followed by his accompanying practitioners. He completed the formality of establishing residency by placing the sack containing

his robe and almsbowl at the abbot’s designated position in the practice hall, and then proceeded to the Buddha hall to burn incense, express a word of insight, and complete his worship with the formality of three prostrations with fully opened sitting cloth. Next, he offered incense at the shrine of the local deities and the patriarchal shrine hall, giving a word of insight at each place, and finally entered the abbot’s office, where once again he gave a word of insight. In appropriate order, he would then perform the initial ascent to the Dharma hall and intone the prayer for imperial longevity.

Nowadays, it is customary for a new appointee to arrive first at the guest house. If it is near the temple, the primary seat official is obliged to lead the practitioners to welcome the new abbot there. But if it is too far, only the dual order officials and the retired officials come to meet him. The official delegate must consult with him beforehand so as to dispatch a note excusing the practitioners from traveling a long distance to present themselves. If the guest house is near, the visiting practitioners must be served tea and sweet hot water, participated in by the dual order officials and the retired officials. The day the new appointee is to enter the temple must be decided upon, and the head administrative official is in charge of all arrangements for that day. The evening before, a signboard informing the practitioners about the schedule for the “reception of the abbot” is posted.

At the appointed time, the practitioners assemble at the temple gate, lining up [on both sides of the path]. The large bell is tolled and other ceremonial instruments are played to celebrate the arrival of the new appointee. The attendants and workmen stand behind the lines of practitioners. When the new appointee reaches the gate, he burns incense and gives a word of insight. At the Buddha hall, he again offers incense and gives a word of insight, and completes his worship with three prostrations with fully opened sitting cloth. When the practice hall bell is rung, the practitioners return there to take their places for the meal. The new appointee enters the hall and offers incense, while the accompanying practitioners perform in unison three prostrations with opened sitting cloth. The director of practitioners’ affairs faces the new abbot, bows to him, and escorts him on a round through the hall. The accompanying practitioners then leave the hall. The dual order officials escort the new appointee to the abbot’s designated seat and perform three prostrations with unopened sitting cloth.

3.29

Next, the new appointee visits the shrine of the local divinities and the

patriarchal shrine hall to offer incense and give a word of insight at each

place. When he enters the abbot’s office and takes his seat, the abbot’s assis-

tant steps forward, burns incense, and stands by his side. As he completes

the word of insight, the attendant places by him a table equipped with a brush

and inkslab, while the head administrative official presents an official doc-

ument (format given below). The temple’s official seal is also placed on the

crepe-wrapped board. The new appointee examines the seal and asks the

head administrative official to open it. After examining the seal characters,

he stamps the seal over the letters on the envelope. Next he writes the date

and stamps over it as well. The head administrative official takes the docu-

ment, and the abbot’s personal assistant (who manages the abbot’s personal

possessions, such as his robe and almsbowl) puts the seal and table away.

When the abbot stands, all the officials line up as their leader burns incense

on their behalf, and perform in unison the propriety of two prostrations with

opened sitting cloth and three prostrations with unopened sitting cloth. At

the first opening of the sitting cloth, the head official says:

It is most gratifying to us that you have accepted the position here.

At the second opening of the sitting cloth, he says:

We wish that all is well and felicitous with the newly appointed abbot

and great teacher.

They complete the greeting with three prostrations with unopened sit-

ting cloth.

The neighboring temple representatives, the officials, and the retired

officials step forward to burn incense. When this informal congratulation is

over, the guest reception attendant announces:

There will be a serving of sweet hot water for the neighboring temple

representatives, the dual order officials, and the retired officials at their

designated seats.

There follows the serving of some food provisions for the government

officials and the representatives of neighboring temples. If the former abbot,

though already having accepted a new position elsewhere, has not yet departed,

or if he is staying on in the east hall as a retiree, the new appointee is obliged to conduct the propriety of the transfer ceremony before occupying the main rostrum seat as abbot. Only after this ceremony does he receive informal congratulations. Ringing the practice hall bell and leading the practitioners, he personally escorts his predecessor to his quarters and peforms a prostration with unopened sitting cloth to [the former abbot]. Thereafter the new abbot receives congratulatory greetings from the primary seat official and the resident practitioners. Attendants and serving men are all obliged to pay their respects to the new abbot.

The Document for Presenting the Temple Seal

Bhikṣu So-and-so, head administrative official of this temple, respect-

fully presents the single piece of the temple seal to the newly appointed

temple master and great teacher. Awaiting his compassionate accept-

ance.

Solemnly written and presented,

Date and year

2. The Temple’s Invitation to the New Appointee

for the Noon Meal

After the new appointee has settled in his official seat at the abbot’s office, the head administrative official waits for the moment when the congratulatory proprieties are finished, then comes to the abbot to invite him to the noon meal reception. Beforehand he has prepared a letter of invitation along with an incense burner and a candle, which are carried by an attendant on a crepe-wrapped board. The head administrative official, carrying incense in his sleeve, performs the formality of two prostrations with opened sitting cloth and three prostrations with unopened sitting cloth. At the first opening of the sitting cloth, he says:

At noon, a humble meal reception will be offered at the practice hall

to respectfully welcome your reverence. We earnestly wish that in your

compassion you will grant us the honor of your presence on this occa-

sion, though we feel hesitant because of its meagerness.

At the second opening [of the sitting cloth], he enquires about the abbot’s well-being, and then completes the formal greeting with three prostrations with unopened sitting cloth. The abbot replies with a prostration. The invitation presented by the administrative official is received by the abbot’s guest master or the guest reception assistant, while the preparations must be made at the abbot’s place in the practice hall by the guest master of the administrative office. The proceeding is identical with that of the special dinner reception.

The Letter of Invitation to the Noon Meal

Bhikṣu So-and-so, head administrative official of this temple, respect-

fully invites the newly appointed temple master to a humble meal recep-

tion at the practice hall at noon. We earnestly wish that in your com-

passion you will grant us the honor of your presence on this occasion.

Written by So-and-so on

Date, month, year

Format of the Envelope

Solemnly sealed for the Honorable Seat

New Appointee, Venerable So-and-so

3. Inaugural Ascent to the Dharma Hall

and Invocation for Imperial Longevity

In ancient times, the inaugural ascent to the Dharma hall was conducted under imperial decree or under the request of a deputy official of the imperial court, and hence such an event was called for with magnanimity. Either the provincial judges or the district and prefectural officials requested the new appointee with gifts of silk and so on, which were presented at the welcoming meal reception, to conduct the inaugural ascent to the Dharma hall at a certain temple or at its mother temple by providing funds from the government treasury for the meal reception and inaugural events. It is mentioned in various records written by renowned public officials that each official himself prepared a signboard announcing such an event, or a signboard indicating the serving of tea and sweet hot water.

Nowadays, the inaugural ascent to the Dharma hall is generally conducted at each temple’s expense. The new appointee can conduct the ceremony of inauguration at any determined time in order to preside in the temple. The

abbot’s assistant assigns the attendants to set up the rostrum seat at the Dharma hall, notify the practitioners, and post the signboard indicating the ascent to the Dharma hall. He copies out the names of government officials and the representatives of neighboring temples beforehand, and presents this list to the abbot. A crepe-wrapped table with an incense burner and a candle stand are placed to the left of the rostrum seat, and the official documents are displayed on it. [The abbot’s assistant] is also obliged beforehand to request the director of practitioners’ affairs and the primary seat official to prepare the public announcement and to compose the word of tribute on behalf of the temple community. The training official next in rank or renowned practitioners who have gathered from neighboring temples or from the Zen world in general compose the rest of the tributes. Moreover, one of the neighboring temple representatives must be chosen and requested beforehand to conduct the commencement of the event by striking the octagonal woooden block with its mallet. The seats of the government officials should be placed opposite the rostrum seat.

The abbot’s assistant notifies the master of the beginning of the event and instructs an attendant to begin drumming to assemble the practitioners. When all have assembled, [the assistant] and the official delegate together escort the abbot into the Dharma hall. Crimson lanterns have been placed in the hall, cymbals are sounded, and flowers are scattered. The abbot reaches his designated place and stands. If he is not wearing the robe of Dharma transmission, he must raise up the word of insight on the Dharma [that he has written] before donning the robe. After this, the official delegate steps forward, burns incense, and performs the formal propriety of two prostrations with opened sitting cloth and three prostrations with unopened sitting cloth. At the first opening of the sitting cloth, he says:

Today, you have accepted the responsibility of this Zen institution for

the sake of our benefit. This is most gratifying to us.

At the second opening, [the official delegate] enquires politely about the master’s well-being, and then completes his greeting with three prostrations with unopened sitting cloth. The abbot responds with a single prostration.

First, the abbot presents the public announcement. After he raises the word of insight, he gives the written proclamation to the director of practitioners’ affairs to read. Next, he gives a word of insight for each congratulatory message one by one as presented by the temple community, the neighboring temples, and the Zen world in general, and returns each respectively to its originator who then reads it. If a government official who originally sponsored the new appointee’s conduct of the inaugural ascent to the Dharma hall is present, and if he has prepared a word of congratulation, he presents it to the abbot himself. The abbot is obliged to give a word of insight also before [the congratulatory message] is read by the official. After all the messages have been read, the abbot points toward the rostrum seat and raises the word of insight regarding the high seat that he is about to ascend. Immediately afterward he ascends the high seat and offers incense for the invocation of imperial longevity. Next, he offers incense for the sake of the imperial religious councilor, the offices of the imperial chamberlain and the censorate, the district and prefectural government offices, and also for civil and military bureaucrats. For each offering, the assistant hands incense to the abbot. Finally, and only when offering incense for his own teacher in the Dharma transmission, the abbot takes out his own incense from his sleeve and burns it.

The abbot now sits cross-legged and arranges his robe. His assistant burns incense, descends the high rostrum, and bows. The dual order officials then step forward to bow toward the abbot. The abbot’s assistant once again ascends the rostrum, burns incense, and bows. The proceeding is the same as that of the ascent to the Dharma hall on the first day and mid-month day. The abbots of neighboring temples who escorted the new appointee to the temple are also obliged to come forward and bow. Through his assistant, the abbot requests the government officials to take their seats. Thereupon the lead official, selected from among the representatives from the neighboring temples, strikes the octagonal wooden post with its mallet and announces:

May the honorable colleagues, endowed with superior insight and

understanding, concentrate upon the absolute transcendent truth

(paramārtha).

The abbot gives some words of instruction, participates in question-andanswer exchanges, preaches the essence of doctrine, and finally expresses

thanks to the representatives of neighboring temples and the government officials with the following words:

I have conducted the inaugural session solely for the sake of celebrating

imperial longevity; hence, I refrain from uttering many words and

statements.

The official delegate, the dual order officials, and the retired officials abbreviate their words of appreciation. Details are given below, in section 5. The inaugural session is then completed. The senior practitioner once again strikes the octagonal wooden post with the mallet and announces:

May the honorable colleagues see directly the Dharma of the King of

the Dharma (i.e., the Buddha), that this is the Buddha-Dharma.

Thereupon, the abbot descends from the high seat.

The government officials congratulate the abbot first, and are then escorted by the guest reception official to the guest house. The guest master attendant brings forward the incense burners and candle stands and places them in a horizontal line before the abbot’s seat. After the official delegate offers incense and performs the formal propriety of two prostrations with opened sitting cloth and three prostrations with unopened sitting cloth, the attendant of the practice hall office announces:

The greetings of the representatives of the neighboring temples are in

order.

Next, he announces:

The greeting by the west hall official is in order.

After the official performs a prostration with opened sitting cloth, the [practice hall attendant] once again announces:

The greetings of the administrative officials are in order.

The officials also perform the formal propriety of two prostrations with opened sitting cloth and three prostrations with unopened sitting cloth. Next, with these announcements, the primary seat official and the practitioners, including the retired officials, the retired subfunctionary officials, the retired

subfunctionary assistants, and the retired officials of various quarters, are

ushered in. All burn incense and together with the practitioners perform the

same formal propriety as before. When this is completed, further congratu-

latory greetings are made by the managerial officers of the temple estate and

storage, hermitages, and tower buildings; those who are related [to the abbot]

in Dharma lineage; those who come from [his] native province; and recent

arrivals. The abbot now takes his seat, and his assistant and his own disci-

ples burn incense and perform the formality of three prostrations with fully

opened sitting cloth. Next, the attendants of the official functionaries burn

3.40

incense and perform prostrations, followed by the other attendants led by the

ceremonial leader; they likewise burn incense and perform prostrations.

Finally, the business affairs workers, the transportation workers, the estate

foremen, the carpenters, the skilled workers, and the laborers all come to pay

their respects and perform prostrations.

After receiving all these congratulatory greetings, the abbot pays a visit

to the guest positions to thank the government officials and the representa-

tives of the neighboring temples. He then proceeds on rounds through vari-

ous quarters in due order. The resident practitioners of each quarter must pre-

pare a table with incense, an incense burner, and candle stands, as well as a

special seat. They are also obliged to wait for the abbot’s visit in proper dig-

nity and decorum outside the entrance of each quarter. The master of the

quarters waits at the lower end of the entrance, escorts the abbot into the

quarters, and requests him to take a seat. The master of the quarters burns

incense, reciprocated by the abbot’s offering of incense. [The abbot] makes

a polite enquiry into the well-being of the practitioners and expresses his

appreciation, and is then escorted out. The practitioners of the retirees’ quar-

ters, such as officials and assistants, and the members of the practitioners’

quarters are all required to line up at the entrance gates of their buildings to

both greet and see off the abbot.

4. The Temple Community’s Special Serving of

Tea and Sweet Hot Water for the New Abbot

Signboards announcing the special serving of tea and sweet hot water must be

posted on each side of the outer practice hall. The head administrative official

prepares the written invitation (format given below). He then visits the abbot’s office, accompanied by an attendant carrying a crepe-wrapped board with incense, a burner, and a candle stand, and burns incense to request the master’s presence on the occasion of the special serving. If full formality is excused, [the head administrative official] may simply greet the abbot with a prostration with unopened sitting cloth and say:

After the noon meal, a special serving of tea is scheduled at the prac-

tice hall in honor of your reverence. May you in your compassion grant

us the honor of your presence at that time.

He then presents the written invitation and asks the guest master to notify the dual order officials, the retired officials, and the practitioners to participate in the special serving of tea. The signboard announcing the serving of tea and sweet hot water should be posted to inform the practitioners. The abbot’s seat must be specially set up in the practice hall for this occasion.

(In recent times, it has become customary that when the metal gong located in the kitchen hall is struck at the time of the noon meal, the head administrative official enters the practice hall, burns incense, performs three prostrations with opened sitting cloth, and makes a round through the hall in order to invite the practitioners to such special proprieties. However, this occasion is exclusively for the sake of expressing congratulatory greetings to the abbot on the part of the temple community as a whole. In the Ancient Regulations, there was no rule about making a round in order to invite the practitioners to the occasion, and it is more appropriate to dismiss this custom, which was only recently created.)

Sometime after the noon meal, the drumming commences to assemble the practitioners at the practice hall. The administrative official escorts the abbot into the hall, requests him to take a seat, burns incense at the altar of the guardian bodhisattva, and then burns incense before the master. Going around behind the altar, he returns to the center of the hall and stands. When the serving of tea is completed throughout the hall, and as soon as the tea jars have been carried out, the administrative official once again goes to the abbot and invites him to drink tea. Returning to his former position, again going around behind the altar, he burns incense before the altar and performs three prostrations with opened sitting cloth. Thereupon, he and all the dual order officials go before the abbot

to perform the formal propriety of two prostrations with opened sitting cloth and three prostrations with unopened sitting cloth. They then escort the abbot from the hall. The administrative official once again returns to the hall, burns incense, bows toward both sections of the hall, and retrieves the tea bowl from the altar of the guardian bodhisattva before leaving. The serving of sweet hot water is to be conducted in the same manner. However, there is no rule that the host official should leave the hall to escort the abbot, as it is customary to serve the evening meal after the sweet hot water has been served.

Format of the Written Invitation

Bhikṣu So-and-so, head administrative official of this temple, respect-

fully extends an invitation to the abbot for a special serving of tea (and

sweet hot water) today, after the noon meal and toward the evening. It

is to be held at the practice hall in order to express our greetings and

congratulations. We earnestly wish that in your compassion you will

grant us the honor of your presence for this occasion.

Respectfully written on

Date, month, year

Format of the Envelope

The format for the envelope is identical to that of the previous invitation.

5. The Supplementary Session on the

First Evening of the Inauguration

After the noon meal, the abbot’s assistant reports to him, saying, “The supplementary session is scheduled for this evening, sir.”

The guest master must inform the practitioners and post the signboard indicating the session. He is obliged to note down the following names: the official delegate, the dual order officials, and the retired subfunctionary assistants, as well as the retired officials of various quarters; the managerial officers of the temple estates, storages, hermitages, and tower buildings; newly arrived practitioners; the new abbot’s assistants who accompanied him; and guests such as Zen experts and their associates. In addition, [the guest master] must record

in detail the names of those government officials and representatives of neighboring temples who remain at the host temple, including their whereabouts, on the basis of which he makes a list to present to the abbot.

When the evening bell sounds, the abbot’s assistant notifies the master and has the attendants strike the wooden sounding board and drum for one session. The practitioners assemble and the dual order officials take their respective places. The abbot then enters the hall, ascends the high seat, gives instruction, answers questions, preaches the essential doctrine, and finally thanks all participants in the session. The attendant carries a candle and the assistant presents the name list. It is desirable that all the names should be

First 7 of 20 passages. Read on

Translations (1)

English (machine translation) — English, machine translation

Linked texts (1)

勅修百丈清規 — Classical Chinese