[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Indian literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in) › [Buddhist Literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha) › [Taishō Tripiṭaka (Chinese Buddhist canon)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho) › [勅修百丈清規](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2025) › [The Baizhang Zen Monastic Regulations](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2025~en-bdk) › 4.67 # 勅修百丈清規 4.67 The Baizhang Zen Monastic Regulations 4.67 - **Language:** English ### [4.67](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2025~en-bdk.4.67) not impose heavy demands on the farming families. If \[the holder of this post\] is able not to cause any loss to the temple’s economy, it would be equally beneficial to others as to himself. V. The Primary Seat Official Elected as Dharma Teacher 1. Electing the Primary Seat Official as Occasional Teacher Since this is a serious and grave matter, one should not lightly choose the appointee. If the person now serving the temple community as its primary seat official, who, on account of his virtue, once stayed at a renowned temple elsewhere as its west hall guest, and if this person commands the practitioners’ respect and obedience, he may be recommended to the abbot to be elected as the occasional teacher. If the abbot agrees, he conducts a special ascent to the Dharma hall to address the practitioners, stating: Due to the recent increase in the number of temple members, we must invite a proper person and reach agreement on the doctrinal banners so as to establish a grand occasion of exhortation. Fortunately we have currently such a person residing in this temple, whose insight is high and clear and whose high ordination seniority has endowed him with supreme wisdom. I shall shortly descend this chair and, along with the dual order officials and the practitioners, implore him to consent to opening his room of instruction and give his special exhortation. The abbot then descends. The attendant of the abbot’s office carries two signboards, reading respectively “Individual Instruction” and “General Exhortation” on a crepe-wrapped board, and below the high seat, along with the practitioners, implores the primary seat official, saying: All resident practitioners have wished for some time to receive an exhortation from your reverence. We earnestly wish that in your com- passion you will grant your consent. The person thus invited goes to the abbot’s office. After offering incense and performing a prostration with unopened sitting cloth, he thanks him, saying: So-and-so has fortunately found a waystation here. Though I am afraid that my performance may have been poor, as I have been invited under your cognizance I do not dare refuse it. The abbot replies: The Buddhist teaching is very important for all of us. I request respect- fully that you grant us your consent. After this formality, the novice attendant of the practice hall office rings the practice hall bell, while the practitioners escort the primary seat official as elected teacher to his quarters. The abbot thanks him for his consent with a prostration with unopened sitting cloth and sees him off, and also then bows toward the practitioners who are escorting him. The director of practitioners’ affairs goes to the primary seat official’s quarters and requests his assistant to post the signboard indicating “General Exhortation.” He sets up a Zen chair, a Zen dusting brush (fuzu), a staff, an incense burner, and candle stands in the skylit room (zhaotang) adjacent to the back of the practice hall. A series of drumrolls calls the practitioners to assemble in lines in the practice hall, and the elected teacher takes his position. The director of practitioners’ affairs, leaving his east order position, burns incense, and through performing protrations in unison with the practitioners, once again requests him to give an exhortation. Thereupon, the elected primary seat official sits cross-legged, while the dual order officials bow toward him and the abbot does likewise. When he completes his exhortation, the director of practitioners’ affairs once again performs prostrations in unison with the practitioners to express thanks. Immediately following, the elected teacher, carrying incense in his sleeve, pays a visit to the abbot’s office to express his thanks. Performing the formality of two prostrations with opened sitting cloth and three prostrations with unopened sitting cloth, he states: I have completed the task with which I was entrusted, with my poor but best effort. May you in your compassion overlook my lack of sophistication. He then makes rounds at the quarters of the administrative office and the other quarters, bowing to express thanks. The abbot’s office is obliged first to prepare a meal of rice mixed with sprouts for the elected teacher and then a serving of sweet hot water and the evening meal. That evening, the abbot’s office also schedules a serving of sweet hot water and cake for him, inviting the dual order officials as participants, and including the elected teacher’s assistant. Next day, the abbot conducts a special serving of tea at the practice hall for the primary seat official who is now the elected teacher. The abbot’s guest reception assistant posts the signboard indicating the serving of tea. (Format given below.) He visits the quarters of the primary seat official as elected teacher and, after burning incense, invites him to the serving of tea. The manner and proceedings are the same as those for serving tea for the newly appointed primary seat official. The primary seat official too is obliged to conduct a special serving of tea for the practitioners. The proceeding is identical with that of a special serving of tea sponsored by the front and rear hall primary seat officials for the practitioners. On the following day, the abbot invites the elected teacher, the primary seat official, to a special dinner reception and the dual order officials are invited to participate. 2. Electing Various Renowned Virtuous Primary Seat Officials as Occasional Lecturer The abbot is obliged to talk to the prospective primary seat official beforehand \[about his possible election as an occasional teacher\]. If the latter welcomes the idea, the abbot invites him for tea, with the dual order officials participating. At the signal of drumrolls, the abbot ascends the rostrum seat in the Dharma hall. Without immediately announcing his invitation, he introduces the idea in a polite and earnest manner. Descending the high seat, he then implores the pri- mary seat official in unison with the practitioners to open his room for exhor- tation. The practice hall bell is rung, and the practitioners escort him to his quar- - [Previous: 4.63](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2025~en-bdk.4.63) - [Next: 4.71](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2025~en-bdk.4.71) - [Up: 4](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2025~en-bdk.4) ## Translations (1) - [English (machine translation)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2025~en-mt.4.67) — English, machine translation ## Linked texts (1) - [勅修百丈清規](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2025.4.67) — Classical Chinese --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2025~en-bdk.4.67](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2025~en-bdk.4.67) · Pramāṇa