勅修百丈清規 1.75

1.75

It began when in the third year of the Kaihuang reign of the Sui dynasty, an edict was issued to the empire ordering that in the first, fifth, and ninth months, as well as on the six fasting days, monasteries were to establish ritual arenas of prayer, and the killing of living beings was forbidden. This was taken from the canon, which states that Heavenly King Vaiśravaṇa patrols the four great continents every year, and in the first, fifth, and ninth months he governs the southern continent of Jambudvīpa; therefore slaughter was prohibited. Moreover, whenever the regional commanders of the Tang assumed office, they always rewarded their soldiers, numbering no less than several tens of thousands, which required large-scale slaughtering and cooking. Thus, not assuming office in the first, fifth, and ninth months was to prohibit slaughter. For commoners to take these as inauspicious months is mistaken.