勅修百丈清規 2.67

2.67

When a venerable elder pays a visit, a placard for receiving a venerable elder must be hung in advance, and the bell struck to assemble the community to welcome him at the gate. If he prefers simplicity and enters the monastery discreetly, the abbot must prepare incense and candles in the bedchamber hall to receive him, and still order the Sangha hall bell to be struck. The guest prefect informs the head seat, who leads the assembly to insert incense and make greetings with folded hands, after which the assembly withdraws. The two ranks and retired officers sit with him as company. When incense has been burned and tea consumed, only then do the attendants insert incense and pay homage. The accompanying attendants, postulants, servants, and palanquin bearers pay their respects. The abbot's hall duty staff, as well as the assembly head leading the postulants, servants, and palanquin shifts, pay their respects in turn. The attendant burns incense again and serves hot water; when the hot water is finished, the two ranks and retired officers escort him together to the guest quarters. The guest prefect has a palanquin prepared, and the abbot accompanies him to lead him on a round of the dormitories to return the greetings, with attendants following in attendance. If it is someone from a subordinate monastery, an attendant leads the round of the dormitories. The guest-inviting attendant draws up an invitation letter, goes to the guest quarters, inserts incense, and with a bow invites him to a special hospitality offering of hot water, stating: 'The abbot's quarters respectfully invites the Upādhyāya this evening to the bedchamber hall for a special hospitality presentation of hot water, humbly hoping your compassionate kindness will condescend to honor us.' Having made the report, he presents the letter (the format is seen below); when this is finished, the guest prefect reports: 'We invite the Upādhyāya, after the hot water is finished, to take his seat for the evening meal.' In the bedchamber hall, hangings and curtains are hung, name-placards are arranged, and seats for the special guest and accompanying guests are set up. The drum is struck and the ceremony is conducted. Greetings are exchanged for seating and for incense. Hot water is urged, and when the hot water is finished, the evening meal is served, all according to the ordinary protocol for special hospitality. The guest prefect goes to the guest quarters and invites him, saying: 'The abbot's quarters invites the Upādhyāya this evening for hot water and fruit,' and also invites the two ranks to lend their company. The attendant reports that [the guest] will ascend the hall the next morning to express thanks. The next morning, hot water is offered; the attendant burns incense, the postulants make greetings with folded hands, and the servants shout formal assent. The abbot accompanies him to eat gruel. When the gruel is finished, tea is offered. The attendant reports once again on ascending the hall; a seat is set up to the right of the dharma seat, and mid-morning refreshments are served. If he is a great venerable elder, the head seat and prefects report to the abbot, urging and requesting that he expound the essentials of the Dharma for the assembly. The abbot first goes to the guest quarters to explain this intent; if he consents, the head seat draws up an invitation letter, and the two ranks and the great assembly go together to the guest quarters, insert incense, and with a bow make the request. Next, they request the abbot to lead him to the seat, inform the assembly, and hang the placard. Before the dharma seat, [the assembly] stands in rows on the left and right. When the time comes, the drum is struck. The abbot and he go down together to stand before the positions in the dharma hall. The abbot first leads him to the seat, in the same manner as an ordinary ascent of the hall. Descending from the seat, the two ranks go before the venerable elder and make greetings with folded hands. The venerable elder proceeds before the abbot and makes a greeting with folded hands, returns to the center, makes a general greeting with folded hands, and ascends the seat. The attendants and two ranks step out of their ranks and make greetings with folded hands. The abbot makes a greeting with folded hands. When the preaching of the Dharma is finished, he descends from the seat, makes a greeting with folded hands before the abbot, and makes a general greeting with folded hands to the great assembly. The abbot, the two ranks, and the great assembly follow him to the guest quarters, where they insert incense and make prostrations of thanks. The guest-inviting attendant draws up an invitation letter and requests a special hospitality banquet. The monastery prepares the meal and provides a gift, and the abbot's quarters provides an additional gift; the ritual procedure is the same as for ordinary special hospitality. If it is an equal colleague among the various monasteries, a moderate protocol may be adopted as appropriate. If a senior elder of one's own dharma lineage arrives, they first conduct the greeting protocol for various monasteries; after escorting him to the guest quarters and requesting that he occupy the central seat, the abbot inserts incense and pays homage, conducting the protocol for dharma relatives. When sitting inside the abbot's quarters, the central seat should be yielded to him. Welcoming and seeing off follow the previous protocol. In presenting hot water, [the abbot] personally conducts the ritual; if the guest adamantly declines, the attendant conducts the ritual. If a dharma successor, administrative colleague, or dharma nephew comes to visit, he should personally come to the abbot's quarters. The abbot immediately orders the Sangha hall bell struck to assemble the community for formal greetings. He first invites the abbot to sit in the center, and performs the protocol for disciples and dharma relatives, and next conducts the protocol for various monasteries. The reception and seeing off are the same as before, except that no written letter is drawn up for the special hospitality hot water and banquet; the guest-inviting attendant lights incense and states the invitation. Furthermore, one should observe the senior or junior level of their ordination age and adapt flexibly according to the occasion. (The formats of the invitation letters for hot water, banquets, and ascending the seat are each seen below).