釋氏要覽 1.439

1.439

(Vinaya Master [Daoxuan] of Xishan says: "When the lower goes to the higher, it is called fu 赴 [attending]; when the higher goes to the lower, it is called fu 訃 [announcing].") Today's ceremonial for attending invitations, such as the procession of incense and determining seating, was entirely arranged by Dharma Master Dao'an. The Nanshan chao contains a chapter on "Regulations for Attending Invitations"; its text is lengthy, so it is not recorded here. In general, upon arriving at the donor's house, one observes it: if a Buddha image and the seat for the holy monk have not yet been arranged, one should instruct them to install them. The monks must each ask about their years (years means their rains-retreat seniority), and sit in order of seniority. The Mahāsāṃghika-vinaya says: "Having sat, the senior elder (sthavira) must inquire after the donor's livelihood, and so forth." (Lao 勞 is in the departing tone.) The Sarvāstivāda-vinaya says: "The residential elder (the head of the assembly attending the invitation is called the 'residential elder') should properly watch over his own disciples, not allowing their sense faculties to be scattered or engaged in playful joking; he should purely maintain deportment to give rise to wholesome thoughts in the donor. When the meal is finished, he should praise the food and drink and make aspirational prayers (dhāraṇī-praṇidhāna) according to the Dharma. He should thank the donor, saying: 'This generous offering is in accordance with the Dharma; what virtue has this poor monk to be worthy of it?'" The Mahāsāṃghika-vinaya says: "Invitations are of two kinds: first, by order of the Saṃgha; second, private invitations. If one receives various miscellaneous items as gifts: if it was by order of the Saṃgha, they belong to the Saṃgha; if it was a private invitation, they belong to oneself."