大宋僧史略 2.12

2.12

夫言寺者嗣也。治事者相嗣續於其內也。既用官司之名。無虧佛事之業。故子續其父。資踰於師。此相嗣而接蹤。當克勤而成事也。案西域知事僧總曰羯磨陀那。譯為知事。亦曰悅眾。謂知其事悅其眾也。稽其佛世。飲光統眾於靈鷲。身子涖事於竹林。及沓婆摩羅年甫十六已證應真。其後念身不牢固。請為僧知事。指夜出光分僧臥具。故佛讚言。我弟子為僧知房舍差。次請食沓婆摩羅子為第一。如其赴請群集。誰合受第一水果飲食等。佛言。以其年臘最高者為之。謂之上座。及佛教東漸。漢魏之間。如網未設其綱。如舟未下其磸。殆姚秦之世。出家者十室而半。羅什入關。贏糧裹足。而至者三千。秦主勅選道[(丰*力)/石]法師為僧正。慧遠為悅眾。法欽慧斌掌僧錄。給車輿吏力。僧正秩同侍中。餘則差降。此土立僧官。秦[(丰*力)/石]為始也。

Now, the word *si* [monastery] means to inherit (*si*); those who manage affairs succeed one another within it. Since the name of a government office is used, it must not undermine the work of Buddhist affairs. Therefore, as a son succeeds his father, and a disciple surpasses his teacher, this succession and following in footsteps must be pursued diligently to achieve success. According to the Western Regions, the monastic administrators are collectively called *karmadāna*, translated as "affairs manager" (*zhishi*) or "gladdener of the assembly" (*yuedzhong*), meaning that they manage affairs and gladden the assembly. Investigating the Buddha's lifetime: Kāśyapa led the assembly at Vulture Peak, Śāriputra oversaw affairs at the Bamboo Grove, and when Dabba Mallaputta was barely sixteen years old, he had already attained arhatship. Later, contemplating that the body is not durable, he requested to serve as monastic administrator; his fingers emitted light at night to distribute bedding to the monks. Therefore, the Buddha praised him, saying: "Among my disciples who manage lodging assignments and assign invitations to meals for the Saṃgha, Dabba Mallaputta is foremost." When they gathered to attend an invitation, [the monks asked] who should receive the first fruits, water, food, and so forth; the Buddha said: "He who has the highest monastic seniority shall do so"; this person is called the sthavira. When Buddhism gradually spread eastward, during the Han and Wei periods, it was as if a net lacked its main cord, or a boat had not dropped its stone anchor. By the time of the Yao Qin, those who had left home amounted to half the households. When Kumārajīva entered the Pass, three thousand arrived with tied provisions and wrapped feet. The Qin ruler decreed that Master Daoqi be selected as Rectifier of the Saṃgha, Huiyuan as Gladdener of the Assembly, and Faqin and Huibin to take charge as Monastic Registrars, granting them carriages and clerical staff. The Rectifier of the Saṃgha ranked equal to a Palace Attendant, while the others were graded accordingly. The establishment of monastic officials in this land began with Daoqi under the Qin.