勅修百丈清規 4.76

4.76

Prefects must be chosen from among those whose talent and virtue are commensurate. Yet nowadays mediocre types charge them with provisions and reception as their primary tasks, causing those who hold to poverty and embrace the Way to prefer retirement and seclusion all the more. How can a monastic grove be admired and flourishing? The abbot ought to reform such abuses. Under the ancient rules, the administrators numbered only five: the prior, karmadāna, chef, rector, and storehouse head. When their term was fulfilled, the mallet was struck to inform the assembly, their retirement was announced, and they returned to the hall to follow the assembly. Originally there were no individual dormitory berths, so the monastic groves were flourishing. Recently, in monasteries throughout the land, retired officers large and small easily number up to a hundred, with twice as many servants, while the Sangha hall is utterly empty of anyone. During the Taiding era, when Chancellor Toghon was in charge of the Branch Bureau of Buddhist and Tibetan Affairs, he classified monasteries into three grades—upper, middle, and lower—and fixed the annual quota of administrators to be invited precisely for this reason. It is proper to follow and observe this. Whenever their tenure of office is about to be completed, they go beforehand to the abbot's quarters to report their retirement. Once the date for retirement and appointment is set, the abbot instructs the postulants to notify the two ranks. That evening, when the dusk bell strikes, the group of old administrators goes to the abbot's quarters, inserts incense, makes a report, performs one prostration touching the mat, hands over the storehouse records and keys, and retires. If among them there are any whom the abbot would detain, the abbot immediately escorts them to the monastery storehouse; the attendant burns incense and serves hot broth to urge them to stay. The next morning at the strike of the fifth-watch bell, the group of prefects carries incense in their sleeves to the abbot's quarters, performs one prostration touching the mat, and reports their retirement. If any are detained, the same etiquette is used, serving hot broth to detain them. With the list of chosen persons and the retired officers of the west hall, the abbot instructs the guest prefect postulants to invite them to convene for tea after the morning gruel. That group of old administrators, waiting until the distribution of gruel in the Sangha hall is completed, enters through the rear door. The senior member strikes the mallet once and says: "Notice to the great assembly: yesterday we received the hall head upādhyāya's compassionate directive instructing us to return to the storehouse. Now, with our mental and physical strength exhausted, we report our retirement to return to the hall and follow the assembly. Respectfully announced." He strikes the mallet once more, exits from the left of the Sacred Monk, and proceeds before the abbot. He makes two unfoldings [of the mat] and three prostrations. At the first unfolding, he says: "Yesterday we were favored with selection, yet we are ashamed of our unworthiness. Deep in our hearts, we are overwhelmed with shame." At the second unfolding, after exchanging seasonable greetings, he performs three prostrations touching the mat and steps back. Exiting from the right of the Sacred Monk, he stands before the Sacred Monk, makes three prostrations with a fully unfolded mat, turns around, and beginning from the head seat's board, circumambulates the hall once, greets the center with folded hands, and retires. After the gruel, the postulant on watch invites the new appointees to the rear hall. When tea has been offered, the abbot personally stands up, burns a stick of incense, returns to his seat, and announces: "The former two ranks have reported their retirement. These duties cannot be without personnel. I respectfully invite So-and-so to serve as administrator, and So-and-so to serve as prefect." Having named each one and finished the announcement, the abbot comes forward and stands before the incense burner. The attendant bows to invite the new appointees before the abbot, and they exchange a prostration touching the mat. The new administrators advance together, make two unfoldings [of the mat] and three prostrations. At the first unfolding, they say: "Having newly entered the monastic grove, we are unfamiliar with all matters; we have excessively received your command. Deep in our hearts, we cannot bear our extreme apprehension." At the second unfolding, they say: "At this present season, we respectfully inquire: we trust the hall head upādhyāya's venerable health and daily life abound in good fortune." They perform three prostrations touching the mat, and the abbot responds with one prostration. The new prefects step forward, make two unfoldings [of the mat] and three prostrations, and deliver the same words as before. Changing seats, hot broth is offered. (The Xianchun Rules prescribe bowing to sit, bowing for incense, and bowing for broth; to this day, all quarters practice this. Some say that since there is a special hospitality that evening, this may be omitted. Whether to practice it or not depends on the abbot's intention.) When the broth is finished, thanks are offered with bows, either with mats unfolded or omitted. The offering attendant strikes the Sangha hall bell. The great assembly returns to their bowl-positions and stands firm. The abbot enters the hall, first escorts the front hall head seat, and the other prefects follow to return to their bowl-positions, each performing one prostration touching the mat. Next, he escorts the rear hall [head seat], exchanging a prostration touching the mat. The group of new administrators stands in advance at the head of the west hall board. The abbot returns to his seat. The karmadāna goes before the abbot, greets him with folded hands, and stands to the side. (If the karmadāna has already retired, the guest-receiving attendant acts on his behalf to perform the rite.) The abbot hands him the list. He greets him face to face with folded hands, passes behind the Sacred Monk, strikes the mallet once, and says: "Notice to the great assembly: the former administrators have reported their retirement. These duties cannot be without personnel. Just now, receiving the hall head upādhyāya's compassionate directive, So-and-so is invited to such-and-such an office, and So-and-so accepts such-and-such an office. Respectfully announced." He strikes the mallet again. The attendant immediately bows to invite the group of new administrators, who perform one prostration touching the mat before the abbot. The karmadāna announces: "The invitation of the administrators is concluded." He strikes the mallet once more. The group of administrators makes two unfoldings [of the mat] and three prostrations (the spoken words are identical to the preceding). The administrators pass behind the Sacred Monk, exit to the right, and stand in line before the Sacred Monk, making three prostrations with a fully unfolded mat. The karmadāna leads them in circumambulating the hall once; they return to the center to greet with folded hands, step sideways past the head of the west hall board, and stand. The hall office postulant calls out: "The great assembly pays congratulations to the new administrators!" All together make one prostration touching the mat. He calls out again: "The new administrators bow in thanks to the great assembly!" All together make one prostration touching the mat. He calls out again: "The great assembly escorts the new administrators back to the monastery storehouse!" The offering postulant strikes the Sangha hall bell. The abbot escorts them inside, exchanging a prostration touching the mat, and sees the abbot out. They exchange offices with their predecessors, turning to face each other, perform one prostration touching the mat, and see the old officers out. The attendants congratulate them first, and next the prefects lead the assembly to congratulate them. When finished, the postulant calls out: "The great assembly escorts the new head seat back to his dormitory!" The bell is struck again, and when the escort and congratulations are finished, he calls out: "The great assembly escorts the new karmadāna back to the hall office!" The bell is struck again, and when the escort and congratulations are finished, he calls out each in turn: "The retired officers of the two ranks escort the new rear hall head seat, secretary, director of the canon, and guest master back to their dormitories!" The rites of escort, congratulation, and handover are all the same as before. Again he calls out each: "The great assembly escorts the former head seat and chief prior back to their dormitories!" The bell is struck again, and when the escort and congratulations are finished, he calls out each: "The retired officers of the two ranks escort the subsequent former prefects and administrators back to the infirmary hall and previous-rank quarters!" The rite is also as before. They see the abbot out. The dormitory host first receives them; they turn to face each other, perform one prostration touching the mat, and do not see him out. Then, after receiving all congratulations, both the new and old officers take incense in their sleeves and proceed to the abbot's quarters to bow in thanks. The incense for the new officers is provided by the monastery storehouse. When the thanks are concluded, the new and old officers tour the dormitories together. The abbot's quarters invites them to half-day refreshments. At the midday meal, a simple meal is served, still inviting the retired officers of the west hall to grace [the table] as companions. Those appointed to miscellaneous administrative duties wait until the two ranks have been invited, and on another day go to the hall office to report their retirement, sequentially selecting persons for handover.