勅修百丈清規 2.54

2.54

Under the ancient rules, [recitation took place on] the third, thirteenth, twenty-third, eighth, eighteenth, and twenty-eighth; nowadays it is performed only on the eighth, eighteenth, and twenty-eighth. The hall administration writes the chart according to precept seniority (the format is seen below). On that day, the area in front of the Sangha hall is swept and washed. In the afternoon, the hall administration postulant notifies the assembly and hangs the recitation board. Before the evening assembly, he checks that the incense and candles in the Sangha hall and various halls are fully prepared, and reports to the abbot and the two ranks. First the abbot's quarters wooden board and the illumination hall wooden board are struck; next the board is struck while patrolling the corridors. When the abbot comes out, the large wooden board is struck slowly three times. The assembly gathers and stands fixed in place according to the chart. Temporary residents stand below the attendants. The attendants follow the abbot to the patriarchs' hall, the earth deity hall, and the main hall to burn incense and make prostrations. The large bell is struck. The two ranks gather in advance outside the hall, and only when the large board is struck do they take their positions according to the chart. The abbot enters the hall; the offering attendant strikes the bell before the hall seven times. Incense is burned before the sacred monk, with an attendant holding the incense box. The correspondence attendant goes directly to his position. The guest-inviting attendant then proceeds to the western rank, greets with folded hands, and invites them to hot decoction, patrolling past, and next invites the eastern rank, then returns to his position. The abbot exits outside the hall and stands in the center; the incense-burning attendant follows him out and returns to his position. The karmadāna first leaves his position, goes to the doorway facing the abbot, joins his palms, and leads the recitation. On the upper eighth and middle eighth, he says: (“May the imperial wind blow forever, and the sovereign’s way flourish far and wide; may the Buddha’s sun shine with increased brilliance, and the wheel of Dharma turn constantly; may the monastery’s earth deities protect the Dharma and protect the people; may the donors of the ten directions increase in blessings and wisdom. For the above conditions, let us recite [the name of] the pure Dharma-body Vairocana Buddha,” and so forth). The assembly recites silently. At each title, a light response is struck on the bell before the hall once; when the recitation is finished, it is struck twice. On the lower eighth, he says: (“I announce to the great assembly: since the Great Master Tathāgata entered parinirvāṇa, down to the present first year of the re-established Zhiyuan reign of the Great Yuan, it has already been two thousand two hundred and eighty-four years. This day is already past, and life has also diminished accordingly; like fish with little water, what pleasure is there in this? All of you assembly should make diligent effort as if saving your head from burning; only be mindful of impermanence, and be careful not to be indolent. May the monastery’s earth deities protect the Dharma and protect the people; may the donors of the ten directions increase in blessings and wisdom. For the above conditions, let us recite the ten epithets of the pure Dharma-body,” and so forth). When finished, he returns to his position. The abbot enters the hall. Next, the front hall head seat enters; eminent west hall elders insert themselves and stand at the head of the sacred monk’s bench. The prefects lead the assembly, three persons per group; they greet with folded hands before the sacred monk, turn around and greet with folded hands before the abbot, join their palms, patrol the hall, turn following the left shoulder, and stand according to the chart positions. Temporary residents and attendants follow the assembly in, patrolling only half the hall to behind the sacred monk; the attendants stand facing the rear door, and the temporary residents stand facing the attendants. Next, the administrators enter the hall, greet with folded hands before the sacred monk, turn around and greet with folded hands before the abbot, join their palms, patrol the hall, and exit. The temporary residents follow directly behind the attendants and exit. The hall administration postulant goes before the head seat and reports: (“Dismiss the assembly”). He turns around behind the sacred monk and exits the hall. The offering attendant strikes the bell before the hall three times. The assembly all make universal veneration, and each withdraws to his own platform space and disperses. (When the abbot exits, the two ranks follow him out to the front of the hall to give thanks for the decoction; the abbot declines it. On the lower eighth, they attend the decoction: the wooden board in the bed chamber is struck, the attendants burn incense, and the ceremony is performed according to the standard form. After decoction comes the evening meal. According to the ancient rules, there was decoction on all “three and eight” days; on the upper eighth and middle eighth, the evening meal is omitted. On those days, they do not hold the evening assembly, but sit in meditation until night as in the standard form.)