勅修百丈清規 3.41

3.41

The notice for tea and soup is posted in advance between the upper and lower bays in front of the Sangha hall. The storehouse again prepares an invitation certificate (the model appears below), complete with tray, wrapping cloth, incense burner, and candles, goes to the abbot's quarters, inserts incense, and bows to invite him. If excused, he makes prostrations touching the mat and reports, saying: 'After the midday meal, tea will be served in the cloud hall for special hospitality. We humbly hope your compassion will grace us with your presence.' Having reported, he presents the certificate. He then directs the guest prefect to invite the two ranks, retired officers, and the great assembly to accompany him, and hangs the tea-serving (or soup-serving) board to notify the assembly. Inside the Sangha hall, the abbot's seat is arranged. (Recently, at the time of the midday meal, upon hearing the long board sound, administrators enter the hall, burn incense, make open-mat prostrations, and circumambulate the hall once to invite people to tea; however, as this is to offer congratulations specially for the abbot, and the ancient rules also have no ritual of circumambulating the hall to invite the assembly, it is appropriate to omit this.) When the meal is over, the drum is struck to assemble the community. The administrators bow to the abbot to enter the hall, proceed to their seats, bow to sit, and burn a stick of incense. Before the abbot, they bow over the incense, circle behind the sacred monk, return to the center to greet with folded hands, and stand. Tea is served everywhere, and the ewers are taken out. They go before the abbot, bow for tea, step back, and exiting to the right behind the sacred monk, burn incense and make three open-mat prostrations. Rising, [the senior administrator] leads the whole staff before the abbot to make two open-mat prostrations and three bows, and escorts him out. Returning again to the hall, he burns incense, greets the upper and lower bays with folded hands, collects the bowl-cups, and leaves the seat. The ritual for soup is the same as that for tea, except that there is no escorting the abbot out of the hall. When the soup is finished, they remain in their seats for the evening medicine meal.