勅修百丈清規 2.22

2.22

In advance, the hall office collects communal funds to prepare the offerings, requests the composition of the statement, and has it signed (as on the day of the Buddha's nirvāṇa). The night before, they arrange the dharma hall in accordance with the rules. The portrait is hung above the seat. In the center they solemnly set out the offering banquet with incense burners, vases, and incense. In the upper bay they place a Chan chair, fly-whisk, clothes rack, and dharma robes (to place a bed or couch is incorrect). In the lower bay they place chairs, a sūtra desk, incense burners, vases, incense, candles, and sūtra scrolls. The postulants of the hall office inform the community and hang the notice board for chanting sūtras. That evening, there is chanting of sūtras, and notice is given that at the half-meal the next day all must possess full decorum. Chanting sūtras for concluding the memorial service: before the evening consultation, the Sangha hall bell is struck, assembling the community to await the arrival of the abbot. The drum is struck, and special hospitality hot water is offered. The abbot offers incense and bows three times without retrieving his niṣīdana. He offers the hot water, steps back, bows three times, and advances again. He greets with folded hands, bows to offer the hot water, returns to his position, bows twice, and retrieves his niṣīdana. The drum is struck three times. A postulant strikes the hand-bell. The karmadāna steps out of the rank and recites the invocation: "Humbly considering that the lineage transmits the direct pointing, we presumptuously partake of the moisture of its remaining waves; the Great Way is difficult to name, and we are ashamed to join its radiance as its late descendants. We look up to and rely upon the great assembly to recite the ten titles of the Pure Dharma-body Vairocana Buddha, and so forth." He performs the transfer of merit: "The merit of the recitation above is dedicated to the First Patriarch, Bodhidharma, Great Master of Perfect Enlightenment, the Great Upādhyāya, to repay from above his compassionate shelter. All [Buddhas of the ten directions and three times], and so forth." When finished, the Sangha hall bell is struck three times, the assembly disperses, or they are invited to sit for the medicine-stone. When the dusk bell sounds, the Sangha hall bell is struck again to assemble the community. The abbot offers incense. The karmadāna leads the recitation of the Śūraṅgama Mantra. When finished, he performs the transfer of merit: "The body of the pure Dharma-realm fundamentally neither appears nor disappears; by the power of great compassionate vows, it manifests coming and going. Looking upward, we hope your compassionate kindness will look down and clearly witness: on this fifth day of the present month, humbly meeting the anniversary of the First Patriarch, Bodhidharma, Great Master of Perfect Enlightenment, the Great Upādhyāya, entering tranquility, we lead the assembly of monks in preparing fragrant delicacies to extend our offerings, and recite the Divine Mantra of the Śūraṅgama of the Great Buddha's Uṣṇīṣa and the Ten Thousand Practices. May the extraordinary merit accumulated thereby repay from above your compassionate shelter. We humbly pray that all capacities may rely upon you to propagate the ancestral style of Shaoshi; may your wondrous wisdom be inexhaustible, bringing to completion the capacities of the Great Vehicle. All [Buddhas of the ten directions and three times], and so forth." Next, the head of the postulants leads the postulants in lining up; they announce their attendance, bow, and chant sūtras. The servants line up to attend and bow. The next morning, the abbot offers incense and bows; he offers hot water and gruel, sitting to the side below the seat to accompany the meal. When the gruel is finished, the abbot offers incense and tea. The karmadāna leads the Great Compassion Dhāraṇī. When finished, he performs the transfer of merit: "The merit of chanting sūtras above is dedicated to the First Patriarch, Bodhidharma, Great Master of Perfect Enlightenment, the Great Upādhyāya, to repay from above his compassionate shelter. All [Buddhas of the ten directions and three times], and so forth." At the half-meal, the Sangha hall bell is struck to assemble the community. They line up facing the Patriarch. The abbot offers incense and bows three times without retrieving his niṣīdana. He advances before the burner. When the hot water and food are offered, the guest-inviting attendant passes them along; he waits for the incense-burning attendant to take them beside the Patriarch's seat and place them upon the table. He steps back to his position and bows three times. He advances again to burn incense and distribute offerings. When finished, he bows three times and retrieves his niṣīdana. The drum is struck for offering special hospitality tea (following the protocol for hot water). When finished, the abbot raises incense and gives a dharma word. A postulant strikes the cymbals. The karmadāna steps out of the rank and bows to the abbot to offer incense. An attendant holds the incense box. Next, the eastern hall, western hall, and the two ranks step out of the ranks to offer incense. The great assembly spreads their mats together and bows three times. The karmadāna declares: "The body of the pure Dharma-realm fundamentally neither appears nor disappears; by the power of great compassionate vows, it manifests coming and going." The statement is read aloud while the abbot kneels before the burner. Next, the Śūraṅgama Mantra is led. When finished, the transfer of merit is performed: "The merit of chanting sūtras above is dedicated to the First Patriarch, Bodhidharma, Great Master of Perfect Enlightenment, the Great Upādhyāya, to repay from above his compassionate shelter. All [Buddhas of the ten directions and three times], and so forth." Next, the postulants chant sūtras.