[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) › 5.98 # 勅修百丈清規 5.98 The Baizhang Zen Monastic Regulations 5.98 - **Language:** English ### [5.98](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2025~en-bdk.5.98) is earnestly wished that all the venerables attend this special reception. Respectfully requested by So-and-so Office of the Abbot’s Assistants Invitation by administrative and training faculty officials: The new residents, So-and-so senior practitioner, and the other senior practitioners whose names are listed below. \[Names listed here\] The administrative head and the training faculty officials invite the venerables listed above to a tea reception to be held today after the noon meal at the administrative office. It is earnestly wished that all the venerables compassionately attend this special reception. Respectfully requested by Bhikṣu So-and-so and Others Administrative Office In the case of the reception given by the training officials, the list of sponsors’ names ends after the guest reception official. The propriety to be conducted at the skylit hall is the same. VI. Zen Practice and Training 1. Zazen Practice Every day after the morning rice gruel, the attendant of the practice hall office reports the zazen practice schedule to the primary seat official. He also posts a tablet indicating the zazen practice in front of the practice hall and at the practitioners’ quarters to inform the practitioners. The alms-serving master is obliged to set up incense and light candles within the practice hall. The wooden sounding block located outside the practice hall is struck once to call the practitioners to return to the hall and sit cross-legged facing the wall. As the practitioners gradually assemble in the hall, the wooden sounding block is struck a second time to inform the training officials who participate in zazen practice. At the moment when they all enter the hall, the wooden sounding block is struck a third time, somewhat softly. Thereupon, the second master of the quarters (fuliao) closes the entrance to the quarters and strikes the wooden sounding block located in front of the primary seat official’s quarters three times. The first strike is made when the abbot leaves his quarters, the second when he reaches midway, and the third when the abbot enters the practice hall. The primary seat official burns incense in front of the altar of the guardian bodhisattva and makes a round through the hall, from the lowerranking section to that of higher ranks, and then takes his place, sitting crosslegged. Next, after notifying the abbot, three strikes are made in a similar manner as before on the wooden sounding block located at the abbot’s quarters. The abbot enters the hall, burns incense, and makes a round of the hall from the higher-ranking section to the lower ranks, and sits cross-legged at his place. After zazen practice, the practitioners gradually arise from their places in order to rest. They must pay attention to the \[position of\] their immediate neighbors in both directions, so as to coordinate \[their movements\] with the others, whether arising or sitting, swift or slow. In this way, one will not be \[embarrassingly left behind\] by a neighboring practitioner. Some \[practitioners\] may leave their quilts (liubei) in the hall and do not act as the others do. Or some may return to their seats after a while and leave their kaṣāya robes \[at their places\] as the others do, yet do not participate in the zazen session but remain outside the hall. In either case, such people must be caught and reprimanded. The practice training officials and the practitioners are equally obliged to restrict their entering and leaving the raised sitting platform. Only the primary seat official is allowed to come or go from his seat by passing in front of the abbot. The attendant of the practice hall office, having observed the time of the noon meal, duly notifies the primary seat official, saying, “The release from zazen practice is in order, sir.” Going behind the altar of the guardian bodhisattva and passing to its right, he reaches the entrance, rolls up the hanging screen, takes the tablet down, and in a low voice announces the end of zazen practice. The abbot and the training officials leave the hall, while the practice hall attendant stands to the extreme right near the entrance and bows toward them \[as they leave\]. There is no daytime zazen practice on days when the temple is scheduled to receive a renowned guest, to conduct a ceremonial prayer, to per- form labor tasks, sutra chanting, or a funeral rite, or on the day of head-shaving and laundry at the practitioners’ quarters. Nor is there the regular Zen discourse but zazen practice scheduled on a regular day after the Zen discourse should be held as usual. The abbot and the primary seat official make a round through the hall. At the practice hall is a tablet indicating practice hall guard duty, inscribed with the following: Practice hall guard duty must be carried out by rotating shifts. Once a practitioner has completed a rotation shift, he starts again from the beginning. Inscribed on both sides by Abbot So-and-so with his sig- nature. Following the order of the space units assigned according to ordination dates, the tablet must be transferred every day to the next person lower in line, after the bell of the fifth watch of the night (wugeng; 3:00–5:00 A.M.). The practitioner in charge must guard the practice hall throughout the day. Whenever a practitioner wants to open his wardrobe, post his nameplate over his space unit, take down his almsbowl, or pull out his quilt, he is obliged to notify the person in charge. The guard of the day may be relieved of his duty temporarily when the bell is rung to signal the end of each zazen practice by placing the tablet in the custody of the assistant of the guardian bodhisattva and requesting him to look after the hall. At nightfall, every member stays in his own space unit. The tablet is to be passed to the next person early the next morning. Recently, the number of practitioners in charge of the hall has increased so that they form large groups. They chew fruit seeds and - [Previous: 5.91](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2025~en-bdk.5.91) - [Next: 5.105](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2025~en-bdk.5.105) - [Up: 5](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2025~en-bdk.5) ## Translations (1) - [English (machine translation)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2025~en-mt.5.98) — English, machine translation ## Linked texts (1) - [勅修百丈清規](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2025.5.98) — Classical Chinese --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2025~en-bdk.5.98](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2025~en-bdk.5.98) · Pramāṇa