勅修百丈清規 6.45

6.45

After the cremation, the postulants of the hall office report to the abbot, the two ranks, and the attendants. When the midday meal is over, the auction of clothing takes place before the Sangha hall. They also notify the community by hanging the notice board for the auction of clothing. Awaiting the end of the midday meal, when [the monks] descend from the hall, they arrange [the furnishings] before the Sangha hall. The abbot and the head seat divide their seat positions, and the two ranks sit facing each other. Entering the door, they set a table and benches crosswise facing inward. On the table they also place brush, inkstone, sounding bowl, scissors, hanging cords, and requisite utensils. Mats having all been spread on the ground, the postulants of the hall office report to the abbot, the two ranks, and the attendants, and strike the bell to assemble the community. The karmadāna, guest master, and attendants enter the hall together, return to their positions, and sit in a row facing inward. The postulants of the hall office, offering attendants, and food-announcing postulants line up in a single file; they greet the abbot and the two ranks with folded hands, turn around, and greet the karmadāna, guest master, and attendants with folded hands. They carry the hampers and baskets before the abbot and two ranks and make the rounds displaying the seals. They request the keys from the head seat, present them, open [the hampers], and take out the clothing and articles according to their identification marks, arranging them in sequence on the mats. The empty hampers are set sideways facing inward. The karmadāna rises, strikes the sounding bowl once, and recites: (“Floating clouds disperse and leave no shadow behind; a remnant candle burns out and its light naturally is extinguished. Now, this appraisal and auction is used to manifest impermanence. We rely upon the venerable assembly on behalf of Senior Monk So-and-so to aid his enlightened spirit to be reborn in the Pure Land. Recite ‘Pure Dharmakāya Vairocana Buddha’ and so forth.”) When the ten invocations are finished, he strikes the sounding bowl once and says: (“Now the method of auctioning clothing follows established regulations. Its newness or wear, length or brevity, should naturally be inspected by yourselves. After the sound of the sounding bowl ceases, no regrets or changes of mind are permitted. Respectfully announced.”) He strikes the sounding bowl once more, picks up the ordination certificate, and across the deceased monk's name cuts it through with scissors, saying: (“One ordination certificate bearing the deceased monk's original name is cut through before the assembly.”) He strikes the sounding bowl once, hands it to a postulant, who holds it up and presents it to the two ranks. The karmadāna unties the kāṣāya, places it inside the sounding bowl, and replaces it with a neck-hanging pouch. The postulants of the hall office pick up the garments and articles in proper sequence, show them, and pass them along. The karmadāna holds them up and says: “Article number so-and-so, item so-and-so: first bid, such-and-such an amount.” If appraised at one guan, the bidding starts from one hundred. The hall office postulants take up the call and chant it, and bids are called out from within the assembly, sequentially bidding up to one guan. The karmadāna then strikes the sounding bowl once and says: (“Knocked down for one guan!”) The remaining numbers are treated in the same manner. If voices call out the same price simultaneously, the postulants call a halt, saying: (“Double match!”) Bidding starts again, with the striking of the sounding bowl as the limit. The postulant of the hall office ascertains the person's name; the guest master enters the name on the roster; the attendants issue the tags according to the name and hand them to the assistant offering postulants to deliver to the winning bidder. The head offering postulant gathers the clothing and articles back into the hampers. When each and every item has been auctioned, [the karmadāna] strikes the sounding bowl once and dedicates the merit, saying: (“The merit of the preceding auction of clothing and recitation is dedicated on behalf of the late deceased Senior Monk So-and-so to adorn his place of recompense. We trouble the venerable assembly once more to recite ‘All Buddhas of the ten directions and three times’ and so forth.”) Recently, to eliminate noise and disorder, casting lots is often used (see the chapter on the abbot). Clothing and articles not claimed after three days are sold at the appraised price, and a wooden account board is prepared.