勅修百丈清規 7.116

7.116

During the small convocation, the abbot announces: ('Tomorrow morning, after the noon meal, may the chief administrator, the karmadāna, and the attendants please take the placard and whisk to the head seat and the various quarters to make requests, inviting them to hold the whisk for the assembly tomorrow evening.') The next day, after the noon meal, the incense-burning attendant instructs the guest-directing postulant to carry the master's staff, placard, and whisk, with servants holding trays, wrappers, incense burner, and candles, and arranges with the chief administrator and karmadāna to go together to the dormitories of the various prefects. They light incense, make one prostration touching the mat, and report: ('By the compassionate instruction of the abbot, we are ordered to respectfully bring the placard and whisk, specifically to invite you to hold the whisk for the assembly tonight.') Once each has been invited, the head seat arranges with the other prefects who have accepted the invitation to take their postulants, bring the placard, whisk, and master's staff, and proceed to the abbot's quarters to express their demurral. The abbot should earnestly encourage them and see them out. The head seat turns back and reports: ('Since your honored command is strict, it is impossible to decline. Dare I borrow your Dharma seat? We humbly pray for your compassionate pity. In ancient times, when holding the whisk, a separate seat was usually set up; nowadays it has become customary, and later generations have heard nothing of it.') Next, from the incense-burning attendant's place, they borrow the Dharma drum. The one who holds the whisk instructs the tea-postulant to invite the sacred monk's attendant and the Chan guests. Having burned incense and offered tea, he says: ('Tonight when holding the whisk, I venture to trouble the attendant to burn incense and the Chan guests to raise questions.') He further orders the postulant to hang the placard for holding the whisk in front of the Sangha hall. The abbot invites the whisk-holder to an evening meal, excusing him from attending, and sends it to him. The hall office postulant arranges a folding screen to the left of the Dharma seat and sets up the abbot's place. When the dusk bell sounds, the postulant reports to the whisk-holder and then to the abbot. The drum is beaten for one sequence, and the assembly gathers. The etiquette is the same as for a small convocation. The abbot comes out and goes directly to his place to stand. The chief administrator, the karmadāna, and the attendants go together before the whisk-holder and greet with folded hands. The whisk-holder goes before the abbot and greets with folded hands, then greets with folded hands before the administrators, and patrols to the end of the line. Next, he greets with folded hands before his own rank, likewise patrolling to the end of the line; then he raises his hands and greets the entire assembly together. He ascends the seat and sits firm. The whisk-holding attendant and the abbot's attendant come out below the seat and greet with folded hands. The two ranks and the west hall greet with folded hands in turn. When the abbot greets with folded hands, the whisk-holder should rise, but remain seated and say: ('May the attendant please invite the hall head upādhyāya to sit cross-legged.') The whisk-holding attendant goes before the abbot, greets with folded hands, turns back, ascends the seat, and burns incense. Lifting his niṣīdana, he greets with folded hands, then clasps his hands and stands to the side. The whisk-holder invites words, and after questions and answers are finished, he presents the main theme, expresses gratitude to the abbot, the two ranks, the retired officers, the various dormitories, and the great assembly. Having finished, he raises the abbot's small convocation kōan, either commenting on it or composing a verse, and then descends from the seat. He greets the abbot with folded hands and returns to his original place. The subsequent whisk-holders follow the same etiquette as before. When the holding of the whisk is concluded, the abbot's guest master announces an invitation to hot decoction and fruit, as at the small convocation. The whisk-holders immediately take incense in their sleeves, go together to the abbot's quarters to bow in gratitude, take their seats, and partake of the decoction and fruit. The next day, the abbot hosts a tea. If the chief administrator provides a vegetarian feast, he hosts tea together with it, along with mid-meal refreshments. On another day, an ascending of the hall is held to express gratitude and entertain them. Alternatively, the west hall who stands in line may be invited to hold the whisk on the second night. At the small convocation, the abbot gently and tactfully encourages and invites him to propound the Dharma, allowing him to comment on or compose verses on kōans at will, mutually stimulating this Way. Recently, the words of gratitude have become repetitious and superfluous through uncritical convention, making people weary of hearing them and incurring ridicule from those with understanding. In holding the whisk, one gives the gift of Dharma; if one must follow contemporary etiquette, simply mentioning names in general or briefly passing over them is quite sufficient.