T2025 The Baizhang Zen Monastic Regulations

Fascicle IV

Fascicle Four

Chapter VI

The Dual Order Offices

I. Preface to the Chapter

The dual order offices (liangxuzhang) were established [for the abbot] to manage various things for the sake of the member practitioners [of his monastic community], so that he may [freely] engage himself in teaching the essentials of the [Buddhist] religion, promulgating the path of practice, and embellishing the patriarchal tradition. Insofar as the handling of money and rice storage and experiencing various duties are concerned, no one fails to acquire good training through worldly matters as well as non-worldly religious matters. Thereafter, when he reaches an official position, takes the title of "master,

" teaches students, and deals with things, he is able to realize the transcendent truth, execute worldly operations, and become a so-called [perfected] person who fulfills himself and helps others fulfill themselves. In the past, the east and the west order offices exchanged their positions and reciprocated their functions. Accordingly, neither officials felt pleasure or displeasure regarding the respective orders and ranks, whether superior or inferior. It is, therefore, wrong that today the officials are divided into the two orders. In extreme cases, the two groups compete against each other, allowing no compatibility if either one's influence tilts to the stronger or weaker side. Therefore, whoever oversees them as their head should assert the ancestral warning that cautions against falling into such discord, and should wish to prevent its occurrence. All that is needed is to be cautious and 149

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selective regarding one's appointees, encourage them to devote themselves to their respective tasks, and refrain from speaking divisive words. II. The Training Faculty of the

West Order

1. The Primary Seat Official of the

Front Part of the Practice Hall

The primary seat official (shouzuo) is the model standard of the monastic institution, comparable to the visual organ of humans and gods. He [sometimes] takes the seat as proxy of the abbot to preach the Dharma in order to penetrate and open up the [doctrinal] understanding in the minds of junior practitioners, and leads the practitioners in the practice of zazen, respectfully committing himself to adhering to the monastic rules and regulations. He is obliged to advise the treasury as to whether or not each meal (i.e., rice gruel in the morning and rice at noon) is prepared well. When the community ceases to comply with normative propriety, he may have to show what punishment is mandated by the regulations. Compassionate toward the aged, the sick, and the dying, he should take care of them up to their funeral rites. As a whole, he must be ready to act practically in all matters that concern the practitioners, like a collar attached to all clothes or a controlling rope attached to an entire net.

Even a well-established senior practitioner or the abbot of a large monastery, if asked with proper honor and reverence, should accept and serve in the role of primary seat official. This is called "acting for the sake of others by forsaking one's own.

" Mañjuśrī Bodhisattva, though he was the teacher of the seven past buddhas, agreed to become the primary seat official for an assembly of disciples and helped Śākyamuni Buddha accomplish the path by leading his disciples to religious conversion. In the Zen tradition we have such examples: Zen Master Muzhou became the primary seat official under Huangbi, and Yunmen under Lingshu, whereby they made the foremost position luminous and clear and thus left lessons for those of later periods. As the name and position are of primary importance, one should not act casually in appointing a person to [this post], should one?

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It is said in the Collection of Records of the Patriarchal Courtyard(Zu ting shiyuan): The shouzuo is the "foremost elder" in the ancient tradition. It is "

sthavira

"in Sanskrit, meaning exactly "the foremost seat holder" here. 1) He must be advanced in ordination age, 2) he must be of noble nature in all conduct of his life, and 3) he must be one who has been fully compliant with the rules and precepts he initially received and has realized the saintly state of transcendence (arhatship) resulting from the practice of the path.

In the Zen tradition today, the person elected as the primary seat official should necessarily be one who has already achieved the Buddhist insight regarding the nature of self, and is able to command his fellow practitioners' respect and obedience in terms of his excellence in both moral virtue and religious training.

2. The Primary Seat Official of the

Rear Part of the Practice Hall

Holding a seat on the rear raised platform, the primary seat official of the back part of the hall assists the primary seat official of the front part of the hall in upholding community morale for the pursuit of the goal. His manner of conduct ornaments the rules and regulations as the model for the practitioners. Perhaps this division of the front and rear officials of the practice hall may have resulted from the increase in the number of monastic residents. Twice a day, at the time of the morning rice gruel and the rice meal at noon, and also at the time of zazen practice, he must enter and depart from the hall through the rear exit. If the position of the primary seat official [of the front part of the hall] is vacated, the abbot must inform the practitioners of this. Ascending the rostrum seat in the Dharma hall on a special day, he invites the official of the rear part of the hall to move to the front part of the hall. The primary seat official should use this proceeding to settle in the designated space at the front part of the hall, and intone a verse of invocation at every meal to symbolize the merit of almsgiving. For zazen practice and for the period of zazen preceding the evening session, he must enter the hall at the time of the third strike of the wooden sounding block located at the practi-151

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tioners' quarters. It is not necessary to strike the wooden sounding block located at his quarters on each occasion. The rest is identical with the duties of the front hall primary seat official.

3. The Head Secretarial Official

In the Ancient Regulationsthis office was called "

shuzhuang,

"and its function

was to be in charge of all literary composition, including nearly all the signboard announcements to be posted at the temple gate, letters of correspondence, and verses of prayers and invocations. In olden days, many renowned practitioners were invited to the imperial court for an audience. Whoever became the abbot of a renowned large temple would have likely been so appointed under the edict of the imperial court, and he had to carry with him a written form of thanks [in response to such an appointment]. Before the time of death, the written form of a will must be prepared. Upon receipt of imperial gifts or enquiries, doctrinal or otherwise, a written form of reply must be composed to express the temple's gratitude or to answer the questions. Yet the abbot must be fully in charge of the great Dharma and cannot divert his attention to literary composition. Originally this particular position was adopted from military headquarters, where generals had a secretarial office in charge of recording the names of soldiers, their duties, and so on. In Zen temples, the secretarial office was especially institutionalized to deal with similar tasks. Besides this secretarial office, there is a position called " shuzuang

"in each

temple, to which a practitioner is appointed as one of the abbot's assistants in handling more private letters of his correspondence. This is called the private secretarial function (neiji) of the abbot's office. A renowned case of secretarial office activity was exemplified by Huinan (1002-1069) of Mount Huanglong. Again, another known example was Qingyuan (i.e., Zen Master Foyan [1067-1120]), who was appointed to this position under Zen Master Fayan of Mount Dongshan (i.e., Mount Wuzi shan). The latter wished to glorify the title of the secretarial position by having Qingyuan, who was well versed in non-Buddhist literature, assist him in disseminating Zen in the religious world. Moreover, Dahui Zonggao (1089 -1163) also previously held a similar position. In general, it is satisfactory if the holder of this position tries to follow these three major figures as models of conduct. 152

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4. The Tripiṭaka Hall Official

This official should handle the library of sacred scriptures (i.e., the Tripiṭaka sutra building) and must also be an expert in the scholarship of scriptural interpretation. According to the Ancient Regulations,when someone wishes to read a scripture and enters the library hall, he first notifies the hall master, [who is in charge of recording] his intent, and goes with him to the Tripiṭaka office. The Tripiṭaka hall official then escorts him to a desk and seat and greets him with an informal prostration with unopened sitting cloth. Today, however, practitioners read scriptures at the practitioners' quarters, hence no table or chair is set up in the scriptural hall. Nevertheless, when an official is appointed to this office he is obliged to do his best in checking the cases that hold the texts and their catalogues, supplying whatever texts are lost or missing, drying and wiping any item that is moist and wet, and patching and rebinding any item that has a torn and broken binding. If practitioners come to read the scriptures, the Tripiṭaka hall master sets out the catalogue book, looks for the scripture cases corresponding to those titles assigned by the practice hall office, and hands them to the practitioners. When the texts are returned, they must be referred to the record book again to be replaced in the proper stack in order to prevent texts from being misplaced or lost.

Reflecting upon the origins of our Zen tradition, its essence was long since declared as having been transmitted outside verbal or written teachings. So why are some practitioners assigned to be in charge of the scriptural library? The answer is that whatever the Buddha said to his disciples and whatever he prescribed for their conduct became the teachings (sāśana; jiao) and regulations (vinaya; lü). Is any reason whatsoever for us, the members of the Zen community, not to follow his teaching and regulations? Especially because our tradition claims that the ultimate experience, the supreme insight, cannot be trapped by the constraints of language but transcends forms of speech and action. Since such is the mystery of ultimate self-nature handed down [from the Buddha himself], isn't it quite proper for us to comply with the insight he verbally taught and the conduct he prescribed? Again, this has been the patriarchal intention, wishing for us to seek the ultimate insight (theoretical and ethical) in all Buddhist text collections as well as in all non-Buddhist literature and expecting us to be able to face heretic insults and respond to them with 153

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greater expediency. This is called the "principle of neither adherence nor rejection" (buji buli). In later periods, as the number of practitioners greatly increased, two Tripiṭaka buildings were required to be built [to serve] as the eastern and western libraries.

5. The Guest Reception Official

This official deals with the reception of high-ranking guests. In general, he initially meets with government officials, patron donors, established senior practitioners, and renowned virtuous personalities who happen to visit the temple, receiving them with the propriety of incense and a serving of tea. He then sends his novice attendant to inform the abbot about such visitors. He escorts each visitor to see the abbot, and when the meeting is over he determines the subsequent schedule for the visitor and escorts him to wherever he is to stay. If a visitor is of lower-ranking status than his own, he meets the visitor at his office, and if the latter wishes to see the abbot or the administrative head as well as various other quarters, he sends an attendant to accompany him to the respective destination. The transient guest quarters (danguoliao), which come under [the jurisdiction of] this office, must be kept neat as to the bed curtains, furnishings, lamp oil, and charcoal for burning. New arrivals (xindao) must be treated well so that their stay is comfortable. If the director of practitioners' affairs is temporarily absent, the guest reception official executes some of his duties, checking to see if the morning rice gruel and the noon rice meal are properly set for them in the outer practice hall and ensuring that they are served [without fail]. If he encounters the situation of a death among the guest practitioners, he must take charge of the funeral account with the help of his practitioner assistant. If one of the new arrivals dies, he assumes the role of the director of the funeral rite for the deceased. When Shüehbao stayed at Mount Dayang and when Chanyue stayed at Mount Shishuang, they held this position. It is therefore not to be slighted.

6. The Bath Hall Official

In general, on the day designated for bathing, a signboard should be posted before the noon meal to inform the practitioners. In winter months, bathing 154

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should be scheduled once every five days, while during the hot season it should be scheduled every day to wash away sweat. The official of this office oversees the tasks of preparing the bathing room, hanging towels on the racks, setting out trays for washing the face, providing wooden shoes to wear inside the tub and cloths to spread on the wooden floor. He assigns the novice attendant of the ceremonial leader (cantouhangzhe) to be in charge of the day. After the noon meal, the bath hall master (yutou) notifies the director of practitioners' affairs, the primary seat official, and the abbot of the bathing room's readiness and after striking the drum three times, he bathes the image of the guardian bodhisattva in the practice hall. He should be mindful of inviting the guardian bodhisattva to take a bath while preparing the special wooden bucket for bathing the image of the guardian bodhisattva, pouring a small quantity of bath water, and offering incense and prostrations. After the wooden sounding blocks are struck three times in succession in various parts of the corridors throughout the temple, a series of drumrolls follows, indicating that the time for the practitioners to bathe has arrived. Next, a second series of drumrolls signals the time for the training faculty officials to bathe. The third series of drumrolls signals the time for the novice attendants to bathe. The abbot may take his bath at this time and, if he so wishes, a screen should be set up in the bathing room to separate the sections. The fourth series of drumrolls signals the time for the lay workers to bathe, and the very last members to bathe are the attendants who supervise the workers (jianzuohangzhe) and the administrative officials. As to the boiler, after the bathing has been completed the fire must be suppressed by sprinkling water carefully over the flames and coals, and the hearth cleaned and dried. Leftover embers should be stored at a safe distance.

The order of bathing must be specified on the signboard outside the bathroom.

(Nowadays, it is believed that the abbot is supposed to bathe after the members of the training faculty have all finished, and that the administrative officials are supposed to bathe after the novice attendants have all finished. This is wrong. If the abbot wishes for some reason to take his bath at the same time as the training faculty members, no separating screen is required between them. He does not go into a private room but disrobes at the front section of the dressing room.)

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A small wooden sounding board should be hung inside the room, with instructions written on a tablet posted next to it, reading: "One strike: add hot water; two strikes: add cold water; three strikes: stop. This is the standard signal.

"

When a donor donates the cost of bathing for the practitioners, a service of sutra chanting should be performed, followed by an invocation of merit transference. If one realizes why the mysterious touch of water is as clear and transparent as it really is, and experiences this fact as having already been abiding in buddha-nature, then it is not an insignificant donation to bear the cost of the practitioners' bathing, is it?

7. The Shrine Hall Official

The practitioner at this office is in charge of handling the incense burners and candle stands in the various shrine halls, and keeps everything neat and tidy by wiping dust from these items and the desks. When it becomes windy, he must extinguish the incense burners and candles, and tie up the bottom of the banners to prevent them from blowing near the flames of lamps and lights. Diverting money offered by donors for incense for other purposes of the temple is forbidden. On the commemorative day of the Buddha's birthday, he is obliged to prepare the sweet water to be used by the practitioners to bathe the statue of the infant Buddha, and on the four monthly days of religious observance (siqiri) he must also open the doors of the shrine halls so that general visitors may pay their respects.

8. The Abbot's Assistant Officials:

The Incense Offering Assistant,

the Secretarial Record Assistant,

and the Guest Reception Assistant

The functions of these practitioner assistants are the closest and most intimate with the daily life of the abbot. Observing [numerous notable examples of] their master's practice of the path and virtue, listening to his teaching and instruction in the morning and evening, and thereby closely guarded from undesirable influence while encouraged by desirable influence, they may aspire to reach the great goal of the Dharma and path [as exemplified by the abbot]. 156

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Thus, they should become well disposed to maintain the decorum of respect and reverence [toward the master] at all times. The way Ānanda attended Gautama Buddha or Xiang lin attended Yunmen is a matter of great importance for the path of the buddhas and patriarchs. How can this be slighted? In general, it is the duty of the assistant official in charge of incense offering to record the words of the abbot whenever he speaks on the occasions of his [official functions], such as the ascent to the rostrum seat at the Dharma hall, the supplementary session, general exhortation (pushuo), instruction by individual visitation (kaishi), prayer invocation (niansong), canceling the evening session (fangcan), special serving rites on the four annual festivity days (juelatewei), interviewing a guest upon request (tongfu xiangli), establishment of residency (guada), the rite of offering incense (shaoxiangxingli), the word of insight (fayu), and so on.

Next, it is the duty of the assistant official in charge of the secretarial record to compose the abbot's correspondence. He must first write a draft for the master's inspection and approval. If the secretarial record official is absent from the temple, this assistant official is in charge of composing the official letters of the temple.

Next, it is the duty of the guest reception assistant to prepare the abbot's invitations and carry out the rite of a special serving [of tea or sweet hot water], whenever the latter receives special guests or renowned senior practitioners, or at the four annual celebration days, such as the first day of the summer retreat, and so on.

When neither the director of practitioners' affairs nor the guest reception official is available [to address] the needs of the practitioners, or if [these officials] are temporarily absent from the temple, the abbot's three assistant officials are obliged to act as their proxies according to the foregoing prescribed conduct. (Some say that the assistant in charge of the secretarial record and composition has nothing to do with any other areas of work. This [assertion] is wrong, without any basis whatsoever.)

When the abbot is away from the temple for some length of time, these assistant officials return to the general quarters of the resident practitioners and engage themselves in daily practice along with them. If [the abbot's] absence is brief [in duration, however], they do not leave their official positions. 157

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9. The Personal Managerial Assistant

(This position is not part of the official order.)

Many of our predecessors appointed to this position a well-trained person experienced in monastic life. He must be able to command loyalty from others, rescue others from their mistakes, mobilize the capable and talented, and know how things are going within and without. Being expedient and allembracing, he should be able to harmonize the higher and lower ranks into a good, working unity. There is an episode about Mian, who appointed Qing ruo as his personal managing assistant and acquired Songyuan as his Dharma heir through this assistant. After Dongsou appointed the primary seat official Sheng as his managing assistant, his monastic discipline became ever more rigorous in practice. Nowadays, many abbots frequently appoint an inexperienced junior practitioner to this position, and such appointments often result in damaging the virtuous name of an abbot and in serious mismanagement. One must be cautious about this.

10. The Medicinal Care Assistant

(This position is in the official order.)

This practitioner assistant attends the abbot with the duty of prescribing medicine at all times. He assists him also in dealing with things around him and helps the managerial assistant. He should be compassionate in overseeing the novice attendants and workmen in daily matters. If a guest happens to visit in the absence of the other assistant, he is obliged to assume his role in notifying the abbot about the visitor and assisting him with the incense offering. Or if no one is available, he is obliged to refer matters in question to the proper officials, and in this way he should act on behalf of those who are not available, according to the given situation. A mature person, humble and courteous in nature, should be appointed to this position. 11. The Assistant in Charge of the

Image of the Guardian Bodhisattva

(This official is not part of the official order, stays behind the practitioners in the practice of the path, and takes meals in the outer hall.) 158

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It is desirable to appoint a person devoted to the path of practice [to this post]. He is obliged to prepare and offer meals twice a day, offering the sublime image morning rice gruel and rice at noon; to strike the octagonal wooden post with the mallet located at the back of the practice hall; to check the seats of the practitioners prior to zazen practice; and to reduce the lighting during the night. In addition, along with the director of practitioners' affairs, he handles the monetary transactions during the auction of items left by the deceased. When the abbot passes away, he keeps the account book of the funeral rite. When the primary seat official preaches as the abbot's proxy, he assists him with the incense offering. Or [on behalf of other officials], he may strike the octagonal wooden post with the mallet and intone the names of the buddhas. Even after his term is complete he may retain the title of "assistant official" as long as he stays at the temple where he was originally appointed. When the two elder practitioners Tuigeng and Duanqiao were practitioners, they were once appointed to this position. They were able to cultivate good associations with their fellow practitioners and thereby encouraged them to progress in the practice of the path. III. The Administrative Officials

of the East Order

1. The Head Administrative Official

In the Ancient Regulations,only the office of administrative head (jianyuan) was instituted. Later on, however, due to the fact that the temples, in general, became larger and the number of resident practitioners increased, the present office of head administrative official (dujiansi) was added to oversee all aspects of the administration. [He is] in charge of replenishing the incense and lighting materials to be used in the morning and evening, receiving government officials and patron donors, keeping the record of accounts dealing with revenue and expenditure in cash or in kind (i.e., grain crops), and always working to maintain the annual fiscal balance. He respects the master, loves his fellow resident practitioners, and upon meeting with other officials serves for whatever business might be at hand and reports the results to the abbot 159

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for approval. He reprimands and instructs the novice attendants and workmen, rather than unreasonably punishing them by whip. Even when they deserve disciplinary action and punishment, he should instead consult with others about the matter, applying due consideration and mercy, and give warnings. Anyone in this position should avoid abusing his power, restrain acts of violence, and prevent the matter from receiving a criminal indictment from the government. He must be impartial when assigning people to the various positions of estate operation and storage, and also must refrain from organizing a group for his personal interest, which would cause vexation or spite among his superiors or subordinates.

In the past, when the monastic institution was at the height of its vitality, there were many instances in which a west hall official, a primary seat official, or a secretarial official was invited to take this position, and in turn, the administrative head was invited to take the primary seat office or the secretarial office. Otherwise, an appointee for this position must be qualified by having a high ordination age, must be well experienced in life and tradition, be clean and capable, public-minded and courteous, not to mention having the practitioners' respect and obedience. Even when someone is no longer required to continue in a public position, if that person's spiritual endowment is rich and distinguished, if he is harmonious with his superiors and subordinates, and even if it is his second consecutive term, he may not be removed from the position. Such a person may even be invited repeatedly to stay on, precisely because no one would feel harmed by his remaining in the position. Accordingly, in earlier days there were no more than five or six retired officials in each temple who stayed in the private quarters or in the retirees' hall. The treasury official or any other official of the lower ranks did not withdraw to the retirees' hall until after his third term. Nor did the associate administrative official or the head administrative official withdraw to the retirees' hall or to the private quarters, respectively, until their third term was over. In case of reappointing someone who has retired, it is better to avoid any kind of suspicion by placing him first in the public domain, namely, the practice hall, as a regular practitioner, unbound to any official position. Then one may reappoint him to his former office. If he does not fail to participate in the morning rice gruel and the noon meal in the practice hall, the morale of the novice attendants and lay workers, while serving food to him, will improve 160

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by itself or will become firm, just as Yangji assisted Ci ming and Shichuang assisted Hongzhi. These examples should be the paradigm of the position in question.

It is said in the Outline of the History of ZenPractitioners(Seng shilüe, by Zanning of the Song dynasty):

The three qualifications of administrative officials are comparable to the huge ropes that are linked to fishing nets. By controlling these ropes, one can control all the nets so [that they can be] spread well. In Sanskrit it is called vihāra-svāmin(momodi), which means the director of a monastic residence, namely, the head administrative official in our case. Again it is said in the Great Collection of Sutras of the Mahā saṃghika School(Mahāsaṃnipāta-sūtra; Dajijing):

It is difficult to administer the things that belong to the sangha. I (the Buddha himself) should allow only two kinds of people to be in charge of the things that belong to the Three Treasures: 1) arhat (alohan; saint) [one who has realized the final state of transcendence], 2) srotaāpanna(xutuo xuan; stream-enterer), one who has reached the initial state of transcendence, and this is further twofold: a) one who holds fast the moral and religious rules and disciplines (vinayaand śīla) and knows karmic retribution; and b) one who adheres to repentance [of all his actions], fearing that he might be still subjected to some offense after this life.

2. The Director of Practitioners' Affairs

As the director of a monastic community, this official accommodates himself to all circumstances in order to maintain the harmony of the sangha. He must determine whether or not the ordination certificate that each practitioner presents when applying for residency is authentic. When discord occurs among the practitioners, or when items have been lost, he is obliged to resolve the cause of such problems and restore the harmonious flow of community life. There is hardly anything he does not deal with as far as practitioners' affairs are concerned, within and without the practice hall; namely, their ordination age, seniority order, monastic career, and the chart of assigned spaces of their 161

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residency in the hall. Through his vocal performance he calls the names of the sacred scriptures for chanting, leads the rite of prayer, and concludes it with the invocation of merit transference. He must direct his mind with utmost care toward the sick and the deceased.

The ceremonial conduct of the director of practitioners' affairs (weina) at mealtimes is as follows: Twice each day he goes to the practice hall for meals. Upon hearing the sound of the bell located in front of the practice hall, he leaves his seat in the outer hall, enters the inner hall, offers incense before the altar of the guardian bodhisattva using his left hand, and stepping back two and a half steps, bows toward the altar. He then stands with palms joined to the side of the [octagonal] wooden post equipped with its mallet. First, he looks at the prayer invocation of the day and the names and the localities of the deities to whom it is addressed. When the sound of the bell and drum end, he makes the first strike on the octagonal post with the mallet, whereupon the practitioners open their almsbowls. When the practitioners have completed opening their almsbowls, he makes the second strike, then with palms joined prays toward the deities of the day in silence. Stabilizing the octagonal wooden post with his left hand, he then intones the names of the buddhas:

May all the members of the hall intone the ten sacred names in unison: the Luminous Pure Dharma Body Vairocana Buddha, the Buddha with the Perfect Reward Body, and so on.

As each name is intoned, he strikes the post with the mallet with his right hand, which should not be raised more than five inches from the post. Each strike should be made as soon as the sound of the name intoned has totally died out, with an adequate time interval, neither too quickly nor too slowly.

At the moment when the primary seat official finishes reciting the third verse of the "almsgiving prayer" (shishi), he turns and goes to stand by the head position of the raised platform at the back of the rear hall. When the first serving is completed throughout the hall, he steps forward and strikes the wooden post with the mallet once again, goes with palms joined before the altar of the guardian bodhisattva, and bows. He then goes out and takes his seat in the outer hall. If the meal has been donated by a patron through 162

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a monetary gift, after striking the post with the mallet at the completion of the first serving he turns left, goes around behind the altar, bows before the primary seat official, and once again strikes the post with the mallet, then leaves the hall. This gesture conveys that the sangha has received the alms gift from the donor.

If the director has unavoidable business elsewhere or has to take a temporary leave of absence, he must himself transfer the record book of ordination ages, the record of temporary leaves, and the detailed record of the practice hall to the guest reception office and request them to take charge of these record books.

According to A Record of the Inner Law Sent Home from the South Seas (Nanhaijiguichuan,by Yijing [635-713]), the term weinais explained as a compound of Chinese and Sanskrit terms; weimeans gangweiin Chinese, and nain Sanskrit. Both together render the word jiemotuona(Sanskrit: karmadāna). The abbreviation weinais a compound meaning "pleasing the practitioners" (yuezhong). Also, in the Vinaya in Ten Chapters(Sarvāstivāda-vinaya; Shisonglü), it is said that because no one in the monks' hall knew the time, the practice of indicating the time by striking the wooden sounding board was instituted. And it is further said that the Buddha established the position of weinaas the director of the monastic residence, since no one prepared or cleaned the lecture and dining halls, nor did anyone cover the floor with cloth, nor did anyone try to subdue discord created by undisciplined monks, and so forth. Also, in the Treatise on Vocal Sound(Shenglun), [the name of this office] is interpreted as "the order" or "proceedings,

" namely, one who knows the proceedings of the monastic events. 3. The Treasury Official

In the Ancient Regulations,this position was called kutou, "kitchen storage

master.

" Today, in many temples it is still called "cupboard master" (guitou), while in the northern region it is called "wealth holder" (caibo). In actuality, these are all the same position. This position was probably created initially in order to reduce the burden of the administrative head's duties by dividing the areas of administration into two. The treasury official handles the revenue 1132c

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and expenditure of the temple's public money, commodities, properties, stores of rice and wheat, and sometimes compiles the almanac. He oversees the novice attendants in their daily calculation of the accounts concerning revenues and expenditures, and has one of them present the day's accounts (feidan) to the abbot. This is called the "daily accounts" (ridan). There are other accounts, such as an account closed every tenth day (xundan), an account closed monthly (yuedan), and the annual account, inclusive of all others, that concerns the yearly revenues and expenditures. This last one is called zhihuangzongbu.There are other record books concerning rice, flour, and various flavoring materials (wuwei). These must be included in the abovementioned account books. In general, the temple's properties and commodities, no matter how small, have to be shared by all the practitioners in the ten directions (i.e., all regions, everywhere). Therefore, unless an expenditure is required for the reception and send-off of special guests of honor, such as government officials and patron donors, or for those occasions of celebration in which all practitioners participate, one must refrain from expediting the public account or taking advantage of it. The treasury official is obliged to select subordinates, whether senior or junior, who are alert and energetic in mind, skilled in calligraphy and accounting, and who are honest in nature and have integrity. Any items required for the sick must be provided at once. If the stores are damaged by sparrows and mice due to carelessness, or if rice and wheat grain become wet because of negligence, and if there are those who do not comply with the standard service for prompt supply of each of these items as well as for their careful preservation, the abbot is obliged to bring any such unfit personnel under his control and thereby deal with them over the course of time.

4. The Kitchen Official

The duty of this official is to prepare and serve the rice gruel in the morning and the rice at the noon meal every day for the practitioners. In preparation and serving, he must always maintain sanitary standards with utmost care. He must be resourceful in using available quantities of supplies and attentive to his workplace. He must also be thrifty about supplies belonging to the public (i.e., the monastic community) and never waste them through extravagance. Instructing the novice attendants to keep the rules, he must not allow 164

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them to become idle and negligent in matters of public action (i.e., serving food to the practitioners [hangyi]), or participating in physical labor (puqing). The kitchen official must treat farmworkers kindly, and at planting time, [which requires heavy labor], should give them some reward and equal benefit among themselves. At the morning and noon meals, he eats the same food in the kitchen hall as what is served to the practitioners in the practice hall. When the pails of gruel or rice are ready for transport, he must first burn incense and perform prostrations toward the practice hall before they are delivered. 5. The Maintenance and Construction Official

The duty of this official is to handle all kinds of labor [required for maintenance of the temple buildings]. In general, he is obliged to carry out [all necessary] repairs and restoration from yearly damage and deterioration, such as roof leakage, that occur to the temple buildings and various resident quarters. Movable items, whether belonging to the household or otherwise, must always be checked against the inventory. Clerical and construction manpower must be calculated in regard to the degree of progress, so as to prevent idle workers, nonproductive food expenditure, robbing of the public fund, and damage to the temple institution. He must oversee security measures for the estate farms and cottages; the mills for grinding and hulling grain; the cattle, boats, and carts for transportation; and policing against fire, theft, and robbery. By sending messengers, reward and punishment must be properly accorded for the kinds of work done. Honest service and hard work must be especially rewarded. If there is a large-scale construction project, this official must appoint assisting members to help handle the matter.

IV. Miscellaneous Duties

1. The Head Official of the

Practitioners' Quarters

The duty of this head official is to manage the scriptures and household items for the practitioners' quarters: to replenish tea, sweet hot water, fuel for their use, and also to oversee the cleaning of the quarters and the washing of the towels for head-shaving. Every day after the morning rice gruel, a 165

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novice attendant of the tea master in charge of the tea serving (zhatou) strikes the wooden sounding block three times to signal the return of the practitioners to the practice hall. The associate head official of the quarters (liaochang) takes his seat symmetrically a little away from the head official in the same line, while the master of the first quarters (liaozhu) and the master of the second quarters (fuliao) take their seats to the right and left of the room, facing each other. The master of the second quarters steps forward to burn incense and returns to his seat. Thereupon, the tea master in charge of serving announces: "How are you, sir?" The practitioners perform a gesture of greeting in unison. If it is the first day of the month or the mid-month day, the tea master should strike the wooden sounding block to assemble the practitioners for the serving of sweet hot water as prescribed on these days. The manner of burning incense and serving the sweet hot water is the same as for a regular occasion.

2. The Master of the Quarters and

Associate Master of the Quarters

In order to make the daily life of the practitioners comfortable, the head official of the practitioners' quarters should assign their respective seating spaces in accordance with ordination seniority, inviting each member from lower to higher. The names are copied and posted on the tablet for each space. Assigned on a rotation shift every ten days, the master of the quarters assists the head official of the quarters in carrying out these tasks. When the practitioners return to the practice hall in the morning and evening, he is in charge of inspecting the desks for scripture reading, and, if practitioners have left things behind, he collects and examines the items with witnesses present and returns them to the owners. He is obliged to keep the stores of household items in order and to prepare incense, candles, tea, and sweet hot water for the practitioners' use. He must not allow any nonresidents from outside to stay in the quarters overnight or to bring things there for sale. Moreover, a third candidate practitioner should be nominated beforehand as assistant master of the quarters (wangliao), and this person will be appointed the next associate master of the quarters. When the master of the quarters has fulfilled his term, he requests to be relieved from duty through the recognition of the 166

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director of practitioners' affairs, whereas when the associate master of the quarters has completed his term, he requests to be relieved from duty through the recognition of the head official of the quarters.

3. The Infirmary Official

This official is in charge of nursing the sick. He provides them with hot water, medicine, oil lamps for lighting, charcoal and fire, rice gruel and rice as well as all flavoring items (salt, etc.), making these items available for their use at all times. If the temple's budget does not provide sufficient funds [for these items], and if the infirmary official can afford it, he may purchase whatever is needed from his own funds, or he may invite patron donors to provide it to the office when needed. Even when filth is scattered over the floor, seats, clothing, and bedclothes, he should clean them by washing, rinsing, and so forth, never indulging a sense of disgust. Among the eight kinds of fields of merit (puṇyakṣetra; futian), attending to the sick is the foremost. 4. Head of Cleaning

The tasks of sweeping the grounds, cleansing the air with incense, replacing used bamboo scrapers [for the toilet] with new ones, cleaning the lavatories, and boiling and adding water must all be carried out whenever required. Even when things become somewhat messy, the task [of the head of cleaning] is to immediately restore the original cleanliness. He is obliged to inspect washcloths and pails and change them if necessary. This task is invariably beneficial to whoever serves in this position, because it strengthens the mind toward the practice of the path. If the head of cleaning wishes to retire from the post, the practice hall official is obliged to post a note on the bulletin board beforehand, reading:

The post of head of cleaning has been vacated. To volunteer for this, please put up your name.

Someone wishing to volunteer [for the post] takes the board to the director of practitioners' affairs to express his intent. Thereupon, the official reports it to the abbot for approval and then appoints him to the post. 167

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5. The Fundraising Official

In general, monastic temples where practitioners live always have the problem of being short of funds. Therefore, in order to support the practitioners sufficiently, it is always necessary to rely upon the assistance of patron donors by inviting their donations through the fundraising preacher. His activity of soliciting funds is necessary in order to balance a constant annual deficit. However, too-frequent fundraising activity must be avoided, as it might become oppressive to patron donors.

6. The Head of the Farmyard

Unhesitatingly [the holder of this post] takes the lead in heavy physical labor. He cultivates the soil, sows seeds for vegetable crops, irrigates the fields when necessary, and thereby provides a steady supply of fresh vegetables and so on to the kitchen hall throughout the year.

7. The Head of Mill Operations

[The holder of this post] is in charge of hulling and grinding grain. His function is indispensably related to the supply of rice and noodles for the practitioners. It is the norm to appoint to this post someone whose mind is established on the path of practice and who is well-acquainted with the mechanics and processes of grinding and hulling grain.

8. The Head of the Water Supply

[The holder of this post] is obliged to prepare hot water by 3:00 A.M. to supply the practitioners for face washing and brushing their teeth. He also supplies hand cloths, water trays, lamps, and dental powder so that there is no shortage. In the winter months, it is necessary to dry the washed hand towels. He must get up early in order to prepare these items for the practitioners, taking care not to create any inconvenience to them.

9. The Head of the Charcoal Supply

[The holder of this post] is in charge of securing kindling and charcoal before the [winter] season in order to protect practitioners from severe cold weather. 168

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He is obliged to invite patron donors or to request temple funds in order to procure the adequate quantity needed for each winter season. 10. The Head of Estate Management

[The holder of this post] is obliged to inspect the demarcation of the temple's rice fields, repair the estate cottages, supervise farming, and settle disputes with the farmers. He may handle small or trifling incidents but if the situation is of some magnitude and negatively affects the monastic institution, it must be reported to the temple and the matter taken up with due procedure. In recent times, innumerable evils have been observed to happen in the affairs of many temples, and the most extreme cases have involved estate management. The following three points briefly explain the extent of the problem. The common characteristic of this evil, first and foremost, in all temples, is the fact that the post of estate management is the object of fierce competition. But how could such a post be open and attainable to anyone and everyone who wants it? Accordingly, some hold grudges against the abbot for not appointing them to the post, and they create discord between superiors and subordinates. Once appointed to this position, however, the appointee often stays on, rarely leaving the temple even for short periods of time, and thereby becomes undeterred in doing practically anything, including creating discord, bringing lawsuits, using up temple funds originally donated for the practitioners, or even creating debts for the temple, thereby resulting in years of ongoing problems. [In such a situation,] it is natural that the temple community's morale and discipline would decline, while the farmers may become contemptuous, slighting their duty of paying dues to the temple. This is the second evil. Even if a mature and capable person is appointed [to this post], he is obliged to deal with the prefectural and district governments, and will likely have to deal with the clerks of local governments, in the city or village, or neighboring wealthy landowners. If he is unable to meet the customary standard in establishing relationships with these agents, there necessarily develops a detrimental gap. Even when there has been no clear expenditure, by cunning contrivance a deficit may result, and there is no benefit whatsoever in this case to the temple or to the person in regard to his own religious goals. Thus, the expense for running the estate often takes half of the temple's entire budget. This is the third evil.

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There is a difference between the way a temple operates such estates and the way a secular private owner operates his holdings. It is never the case that temples assign members widely in various parts of the estate operation in the way a wealthy family uses its clan members extensively. A temple estate may have a group of farmers at the time of sowing, a group of supervisors (jiagan) for farming, and at harvest time the temple sends a practitioner in charge of revenue and his attendants for the task. Although there are other nominal posts, such as transportation (shuna), dike repair (xiuyu), and grain distribution (biaoliang), these tasks are entrusted, only when necessary, to a group of retired officials to do the job as quickly as possible, and who return to the temple as soon as the task is completed. This way not only saves the cost of manpower but also sometimes prevents possible disasters by reducing the expenditure required. Thus, it serves both communal and individual goals simultaneously. Today, many temples have abandoned their estate operations, leaving their facilities like abandoned houses. If the abbot and the retired officials truly wish to restore their temple institution, to save costs, reform evils, and eliminate unnecessary expenses they should start with abolishing the temple estate as the first step. If, however, there is someone who, even facing grave difficulties, is capable of managing such an estate, his appointment may be separately discussed along with the idea of an honorarium. 11. The Head of Collection of

Various Estate Revenues

In the Ancient Regulations,in the very beginning there was no post such as estate revenue officer under the head of estate management. Only in recent times was this office created. Since this post was established there have occurred innumerable evils. There are cases where, upon becoming abbot, a person secretly appoints someone who has been convicted of a crime, or out of personal interest, he falls into favoritism in appointing someone to such a post. There are also cases when officials and managing practitioners who have just retired [upon the appointment of a new abbot] overreach the latter's authority in appointing someone; or there are some who demand their own appointment due to their power base in the temple community; or those who organize a group in order to obtain the post on the basis of its majority. There are even some who take the post by physical force. There is no end of such examples, 170

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which in all cases are harmful both to the temple community and individuals. Even though everyone might wish to rectify this state of affairs and restore the proper form of the temple institution, there is no way to realize this goal. Only if there are retired officials who are honest and assist the abbot may it become possible to select an appropriate person in terms of public election and appoint him over some limited area of responsibility. Or it may also be possible to appoint a person by lottery from among the practitioners. Anyone who holds this post must be rigorous in his standard of personal conduct and motivated to serve the community of practitioners. One must not impose heavy demands on the farming families. If [the holder of this post] is able not to cause any loss to the temple's economy, it would be equally beneficial to others as to himself.

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V. The Primary Seat Official

Elected as Dharma Teacher

1. Electing the Primary Seat Official

as Occasional Teacher

Since this is a serious and grave matter, one should not lightly choose the appointee. If the person now serving the temple community as its primary seat official, who, on account of his virtue, once stayed at a renowned temple elsewhere as its west hall guest, and if this person commands the practitioners' respect and obedience, he may be recommended to the abbot to be elected as the occasional teacher. If the abbot agrees, he conducts a special ascent to the Dharma hall to address the practitioners, stating: Due to the recent increase in the number of temple members, we must invite a proper person and reach agreement on the doctrinal banners so as to establish a grand occasion of exhortation. Fortunately we have currently such a person residing in this temple, whose insight is high and clear and whose high ordination seniority has endowed him with supreme wisdom. I shall shortly descend this chair and, along with the dual order officials and the practitioners, implore him to consent to opening his room of instruction and give his special exhortation. 171

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The abbot then descends. The attendant of the abbot's office carries two signboards, reading respectively "Individual Instruction" and "General Exhortation" on a crepe-wrapped board, and below the high seat, along with the practitioners, implores the primary seat official, saying: All resident practitioners have wished for some time to receive an exhortation from your reverence. We earnestly wish that in your compassion you will grant your consent. The person thus invited goes to the abbot's office. After offering incense and performing a prostration with unopened sitting cloth, he thanks him, saying:

So-and-so has fortunately found a waystation here. Though I am afraid that my performance may have been poor, as I have been invited under your cognizance I do not dare refuse it.

The abbot replies:

The Buddhist teaching is very important for all of us. I request respectfully that you grant us your consent. After this formality, the novice attendant of the practice hall office rings the practice hall bell, while the practitioners escort the primary seat official as elected teacher to his quarters. The abbot thanks him for his consent with a prostration with unopened sitting cloth and sees him off, and also then bows toward the practitioners who are escorting him.

The director of practitioners' affairs goes to the primary seat official's quarters and requests his assistant to post the signboard indicating "General Exhortation.

" He sets up a Zen chair, a Zen dusting brush (fuzu), a staff, an incense burner, and candle stands in the skylit room (zhaotang) adjacent to the back of the practice hall. A series of drumrolls calls the practitioners to assemble in lines in the practice hall, and the elected teacher takes his position. The director of practitioners' affairs, leaving his east order position, burns incense, and through performing protrations in unison with the practitioners, once again requests him to give an exhortation. Thereupon, the elected primary seat official sits cross-legged, while the dual order officials bow toward him and the abbot does likewise. When he completes his exhortation, the director 172

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of practitioners' affairs once again performs prostrations in unison with the practitioners to express thanks. Immediately following, the elected teacher, carrying incense in his sleeve, pays a visit to the abbot's office to express his thanks. Performing the formality of two prostrations with opened sitting cloth and three prostrations with unopened sitting cloth, he states: I have completed the task with which I was entrusted, with my poor but best effort. May you in your compassion overlook my lack of sophistication.

He then makes rounds at the quarters of the administrative office and the other quarters, bowing to express thanks. The abbot's office is obliged first to prepare a meal of rice mixed with sprouts for the elected teacher and then a serving of sweet hot water and the evening meal. That evening, the abbot's office also schedules a serving of sweet hot water and cake for him, inviting the dual order officials as participants, and including the elected teacher's assistant. Next day, the abbot conducts a special serving of tea at the practice hall for the primary seat official who is now the elected teacher. The abbot's guest reception assistant posts the signboard indicating the serving of tea. (Format given below.) He visits the quarters of the primary seat official as elected teacher and, after burning incense, invites him to the serving of tea. The manner and proceedings are the same as those for serving tea for the newly appointed primary seat official. The primary seat official too is obliged to conduct a special serving of tea for the practitioners. The proceeding is identical with that of a special serving of tea sponsored by the front and rear hall primary seat officials for the practitioners. On the following day, the abbot invites the elected teacher, the primary seat official, to a special dinner reception and the dual order officials are invited to participate.

2. Electing Various Renowned

Virtuous Primary Seat Officials

as Occasional Lecturer

The abbot is obliged to talk to the prospective primary seat official beforehand [about his possible election as an occasional teacher]. If the latter welcomes the idea, the abbot invites him for tea, with the dual order officials participating. At the signal of drumrolls, the abbot ascends the rostrum seat in the Dharma hall. 173

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Without immediately announcing his invitation, he introduces the idea in a polite and earnest manner. Descending the high seat, he then implores the primary seat official in unison with the practitioners to open his room for exhortation. The practice hall bell is rung, and the practitioners escort him to his quarters. The manner and proceeding of the serving of tea, sweet hot water, and the meal reception are identical as before. The appointment and resignation of the primary seat official do not mix with those of the dual order officials, nor is there any ceremonial form of transfer between the old and new officials. Format of the Signboard

The Venerable Abbot, master of the temple, will serve tea at the practice hall today after the noon meal. This is especially intended for the newly appointed primary seat official. For expressing congratulations, the administrative officials as well as the practitioners are invited. May you grant your participation.

Date and month

Respectfully stated by So-and-so

Office of the Abbot's Assistants

VI. The Appointment and Resignation

of the Dual Order Officials

1. Appointment and Resignation

of the Training Faculty

Each member of the training faculty should be selected on account of both his ability and virtue. If one critically characterizes those mediocre officials of the present day, [we see that] they indulge in lengthy entertainment with drink and food as their major function, and thereby compel those who remain in poverty and in the practice of the path to withdraw more and more into the storehouse of the scriptures. Why should such indulgence in a pleasant lifestyle be necessary in the monastic community? The abbot must rectify this kind of evil trend.

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In the Ancient Regulations,only five official titles were mentioned, namely, the administrative head (jianyuan), the director of practitioners' affairs, the kitchen official, the maintenance official, and the treasury official. When his term ended, by striking [the octagonal wooden post] with the mallet at the practice hall the official announced his resignation to the practitioners and thereby rejoined them in the practice hall. In the beginning there were no individual quarters, and the monastic institution flourished. Today, the number of retired officials in many temples, large and small, has often surpassed a hundred, and that of service men and workmen twice as many. On the contrary, the practice hall is vacant with no one residing in it. During the era of Taiding (1324-1328 in the Yuan dynasty), his excellency Grand Minister Tuohuan of the Commission for Buddhist and Tibetan Affairs had his agency classify all Zen temples into three groups of "higher" (shang), "middle"

(zhong), and "lower" (xia). This was done in order to limit the number of administrative officials in these different classes of institutions. This practice must be maintained.

When their term is about to end, officials must beforehand convey their resignation from their posts directly to the abbot. When the date of resignation is determined, the abbot has the attendant notify the dual order officials. That evening, when the evening bell is rung, the former administrative officials as a group visit the abbot and, after burning incense, declare their resignations, perform a prostration with unopened sitting cloth, and present the account book (kuji) and the keys to the abbot before leaving the office. If the [resigning official] is someone whom the abbot wishes to stay on, he sees him off by escorting him to the administrative office. The abbot's assistant burns incense, serves him sweet hot water, and urges him to stay on.

Next day, as early as the bell indicating the fifth watch of the night (3:00 A.M.), the training faculty officials, carrying incense in their sleeves, visit the abbot's office, and after performing a prostration with unopened sitting cloth, express their intent to resign. If there is someone whom the abbot wishes to stay on, he performs the same propriety as before, and, serving him sweet hot water, encourages him to stay on. The abbot now has the guest reception attendant invite, according to the name list, his new officials together with the west hall guest and residents of the retiree's hall, to meet him at his tea reception after the morning gruel.

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In the practice hall, when the first serving of rice gruel is completed, the former administrative officials enter the hall from the rear entrance. The administrative head strikes the octagonal wooden post with its mallet once and announces:

May I speak to the practitioners. So-and-so and others were assigned through the abbot's compassion to administrative offices during the past term. Because of the declining power of our minds, we have conveyed our resignation to the venerable abbot and we are now returning to the practice hall to join you. Respectfully announced. After striking the post once again, they proceed toward the seat of the abbot, passing to the left of the altar of the guardian bodhisattva, and perform the propriety of two prostrations with opened sitting cloth and three prostrations with unopened sitting cloth. After the first opening of the sitting cloth, the former administrative head says:

So-and-so and others were selected to serve during the last term. We fear, however, that our performance may not have fully matched the expectation of your reverence, and cannot help feeling regretful about it, sir. After the second opening, he enquires about the well-being of the master and the officials conclude their formal greeting with three prostrations with unopened sitting cloth. Stepping back and going around the altar, they line up before the altar, perform three prostrations with fully opened sitting cloth, then turn to make a round of the hall, starting from the primary seat official's raised platform. Returning to mid-hall, they bow to the altar and leave the hall. After breakfast, the attendant of the abbot's office escorts the new official appointees to the reception hall. When the serving of tea is over, the abbot rises and burns incense, returns to his seat, and announces: The former dual order officials conveyed to me their intent to resign. Since these posts cannot be left vacant, I have requested So-and-so and others to take the administrative offices, and So-and-so and others to take the offices of the training faculty.

In this manner, he calls all the names [of the new officials] one after another in reference to their respective office titles. 176

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The abbot steps forward and stands before the incense burner. His assistant invites the new appointees to proceed, and then proceeds first toward the master and performs a prostration with unopened sitting cloth. The new administrative officials likewise step forward and perform the propriety of two prostrations with opened sitting cloth and three prostrations with unopened sitting cloth. At the first opening of the sitting cloth, the leader says: We, So-and-so and others, have joined this community only recently. Hence we know little about how things should be carried out. We fear that our appointment may have been a mistake and cannot help feeling apprehensive, sir.

With the second opening, he says:

On this day and at this time, we respectfully wish that all is well and felicitous with your reverence, the master of the temple. They complete the meeting with three prostrations with unopened sitting cloth. The abbot responds with a single prostration. Next, the new appointees to the offices of the training faculty proceed forward and perform the same propriety of two prostrations with opened sitting cloth and three prostrations with unopened sitting cloth, uttering the same greetings as before. As they change seats, the abbot's office serves sweet hot water to all the officials. (According to the Xianshun Regulations,this morning event, i.e., consisting of "inviting the new appointees to take seats, burn incense, and drink sweet hot water,

" was still practiced in various temples up to that time [Southern Song dynasty, 1265-1275]. An alternative, it is said, is that if there was a plan to have a special serving in the evening of that day, the morning rite could be omitted. The point is that whether or not this special serving should be conducted depends on the abbot's discretion.)

After the serving of sweet hot water has been completed, both of the dual order officials thank the abbot either by performing a prostration with opened sitting cloth or a prostration with unopened sitting cloth, if the former propriety is excused.

The alms-serving attendant tolls the practice hall bell, and the practitioners return to their respective seats where they take the meal. The abbot enters the hall, first escorting the primary seat official of the front hall, followed by 177

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the lower-ranking training officials who reach their seats in proper order. Each official performs a prostration with unopened sitting cloth toward the abbot. Next [the abbot] escorts the primary seat official of the rear hall and receives a prostration with an unopened sitting cloth from that official. The new administrative officials as a group must take their positions beforehand on the raised platform that begins with the west hall ranking official's seat. When the abbot returns to his position, the director of practitioners' affairs proceeds toward him and bows, remaining there by his side. (If the director of practitioners' affairs has already resigned, the abbot's guest reception assistant takes the role.)

The abbot gives the list of names of the new appointees to the director of practitioners' affairs, who in turn, after bowing, goes behind the altar of the guardian bodhisattva, strikes the wooden post with the mallet, and announces:

On behalf of the abbot, may I speak to the practitioners. The former administrative officials conveyed their wish to resign from their posts. Since these posts cannot be left vacant, the Venerable Master, abbot of this temple, has invited the following resident practitioners to take charge of the following positions: So-and-so is appointed to such-andsuch post, and so on. Respectfully announced. Once again, after striking the post, the abbot's assistant immediately ushers the group of new administrative officials in front of the master. The director of practitioners' affairs performs a prostration with unopened sitting cloth and says:

The administrative officials are requested to take charge of their respective posts. Again, he strikes the octagonal wooden post with the mallet. The administrative officials perform in unison the propriety of two prostrations with opened sitting cloth and three prostrations with unopened sitting cloth. The statements are identical as before. The officials step back, go around behind the altar, line up before the altar, and perform three prostrations with fully opened sitting cloth. The director of practitioners' affairs leads them in a round through the hall and returns to mid-hall, where they bow in unison. 178

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Immediately he steps aside and moves toward the raised platform of the west hall official, leaving the officials before the altar. The novice attendant of the practice hall office announces:

May the practitioners congratulate the new administrative officials. All the practitioners in unison perform a prostration with unopened sitting cloth. The novice attendant then announces:

May the new administrative officials thank the practitioners. The administrative officials perform in unison a prostration with unopened sitting cloth. For the third time, the attendant announces: May the practitioners escort the new administrative officials back to their offices.

As soon as the alms-serving attendant begins to toll the practice hall bell, the abbot, seeing them off, enters their office, receives their prostration with unopened sitting cloth, and returns to the practice hall. After seeing off the abbot, the new officials exchange the standing positions with those of the former officials, thus completing the rite of the ceremonial transfer of duties. They then exchange a prostration with unopened sitting cloth with them, and see the former officials off. The abbot's assistant expresses congratulations to the new officials. Next, leading the practitioners, the training faculty officials express congratulations to the new administrative officials. After all this has been completed, the practice hall attendant once again announces:

May the practitioners escort the new primary seat official to his quarters. Again, the practice hall bell is tolled and the new primary seat official is escorted to his quarters and is congratulated there, in similar manner. The bell is tolled once again, signaling the end of escorting the official. The attendant once again announces: May the fellow practitioners escort the new director of practitioners' affairs to his practice hall office.

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Once again, the bell is tolled, the conduct of escorting and offering congratulations takes place, followed by another toll of the bell to signal its completion. In this manner, each new official is announced one by one: May the retired dual order officials escort the new rear hall primary seat official, the new secretarial official, the new Tripiṭaka hall official, and the new guest reception official to their respective quarters. The manner of escorting, offering congratulations, and ceremonial transfer between the old and new officials are all identical as before. There follows another announcement:

May the practitioners escort the former primary seat official and the former head administrative official to their respective quarters. Again, the tolling of the bell signals the completion of this propriety, and it is announced again:

May the retired dual order officials escort the remaining former training faculty officials and the former administrative officials to their respective retirees' halls.

The manner of proprieties are again identical as before. Finally, the practitioners escort the abbot back to his office. At the practitioners' quarters, prior to the foregoing, the new and former masters of the quarters meet, exchange their positions, and perform mutual prostrations with unopened sitting cloth. Without seeing off the old master, the new master receives congratulations.

All the new officials and the former officials together, carrying incense in their sleeves, visit the abbot's office to express their thanks. The incense offered by the new appointees is prepared by the treasury office. After expressing thanks, they are obliged to make a round through the various quarters. The abbot then invites all appointees to his office for a small mid-morning snack. There will also be a meal reception at the abbot's office, for which a meal of rice mixed with sprouts is prepared, and the west hall ranking official as well as the retired officials are invited to participate. Those functionaries in the lesser posts of miscellaneous duties (liezhizawu) visit the office of the practice hall on a different day after the new dual order officials are settled, and express 180

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their wish to retire from their respective posts. Upon the selection of appropriate candidates one by one, the transfer of duties must be conducted for the new appointees.

2. Appointment of the Administrative Officials

after the Morning Meal

In some cases, the abbot does not speak about new appointments but keeps silent until all selections are completed. He gives the copy of the list of the appointees' names to the attendant of the practice hall office. After the morning gruel, before the time when the practitioners hang up their almsbowls at their respective spaces in the practice hall, the practice hall attendant announces: May the practitioners stay awhile at your positions. The new administrative appointees will be introduced. The director of practitioners' affairs goes before the altar of the guardian bodhisattva, burns incense, makes a round through the hall, returns to the abbot, and, after bowing, stands at his side. The abbot gives him the list of the new appointees' names, and he in turn goes around behind the altar, strikes the wooden post with its mallet once, and announces:

According to the will of the compassionate abbot, I invite the following members to the respective administrative posts as follows. The director of practitioners' affairs then reads the names and offices, and the assistant escorts each designated official before the abbot to receive his appointment. The remaining proceedings are identical as before. Later, the new officials are invited to a tea reception at the abbot's office. The manner of appointing the training faculty officials is identical to that of administrative officials. 3. Appointment and Resignation of the

Practitioner Assistants

After the appointment of the dual order officials is completed, the abbot's assistants follow him to his office and express their intent to resign: 181

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We, So-and-so and others, have assisted you, our master, for some time. Now we are obliged to express our intent to resign, wishing to pursue the practice of the path with the practitioners. We earnestly wish that in your compassion you grant us relief, sir.

They burn incense, perform three prostrations with fully opened sitting cloth, and withdraw. The abbot then sends his authorization to the practice hall official to appoint the designated persons as his assistants. The official has his novice attendant identify the appointees in reference to the name list and invite the head of the practitioners' quarters and other appointees to his office for a serving of tea. The director of practitioners' affairs burns incense and serves tea. After they finish drinking tea, he stands, burns incense again, and says: Just now, on behalf of the abbot, I have invited you, Venerable So-andso, to be in charge of the post of the abbot's assistant. Going through the list of names and positions one by one, the director of practitioners' affairs greets each appointee, steps forward to perform a prostration with unopened sitting cloth toward them as a group, and shifts his position. He conducts the serving of sweet hot water himself, and after burning incense requests the appointees to be seated and drink, then returns to his seat. After the serving of sweet hot water is over, he escorts the appointees to the abbot's office. Upon the abbot's appearance, the director of practitioners' affairs steps forward and says:

In compliance with the compassion of the Venerable Master of the temple, I have just now led the designated appointees here with me as they have accepted the assistant posts. I shall now request them to burn incense and perform prostrations, sir.

When the abbot takes his seat, the new appointees burn incense and perform in unison three prostrations with fully opened sitting cloth. Thereupon, the director of practitioners' affairs escorts them to their new quarters, where they meet with the former assistants and mutually perform a prostration with unopened sitting cloth. After seeing off the director of practitioners' affairs, the new and old assistants exchange their positions for the transfer of the duties. The procedure is identical to that of the appointment of the training faculty officials.

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(In the Xianshun Regulations,a unique case is mentioned, in which the abbot himself escorts the appointed practitioner assistants to their quarters, and they are in turn obliged to see off the master after performing a prostration with unopened sitting cloth. The Zhida Regulationsgives a variation, in which if a new appointee is a renowned, virtuous person, the abbot himself escorts him to his quarters and exchanges a prostration with unopened sitting cloth, and the director of practitioners' affairs only expresses congratulations. This, however, should not be regarded as a norm.)

The novice attendants of the abbot's office, the office workers of extratemple affairs (zhiting) and the sedan chair bearers come to congratulate the new assistants. The novice attendant of the practice hall office leads both the new and former abbot's assistants on a round through the practitioners' quarters. After this, the new practitioner assistants once again go to the abbot's office, burn incense, and thank him with a prostration. The old members return to the abbot's office early in the evening and together with the new members perform a prostration to thank their master. After three days, the abbot sends a note to the practice hall office to let the former assistants return to the practitioners' quarters. They meet the director of practitioners' affairs, and after mutually performing a prostration with unopened sitting cloth, they see the director off. Next, they exchange a bow with the head official of the quarters. After that, they visit the abbot's office, burn incense, and thank him with a prostration. The appointment of the assistant of the guardian bodhisattva is made by the director of practitioners' affairs, who is obliged to select a candidate, meet him, and appoint him to the post. The director of practitioners' affairs then escorts him to the office of the abbot, where the new appointee offers thanks with a prostration. As usual, he is given a reception with tea, sweet hot water, and a small snack.

4. Inventory of the Temple's Public Household

Items in Each of the Quarters

The household items for the quarters are supplied from the temple's funds and are not transferable. Quite often, however, some practitioners who resided there in charge of a particular function regarded the quarters as a wayside inn, and when receiving a new appointment elsewhere or resigning from their old post, they carry away household items with the help of those from 183

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the same native region, emptying the quarters completely overnight and leaving new residents totally at a loss. Since some items are indispensable, new residents are often unable to find them despite a new request to the administrative office. Thus, there is no peace among the top officials or lowly workmen from reasoning about the cause of such an unsatisfactory state of affairs. Even if the missing items can be resupplied, this necessarily causes an expenditure of the temple's funds. In order to solve this problem, it is necessary for the treasury office to keep a central inventory book, in which household items and amounts from all the quarters are recorded, and the records must be examined from time to time by the abbot and administrative head. Besides this central book, a smaller record book should be kept at each quarter, so that at the time of a new appointment or that of a transfer of official duties it will be possible to compare recorded items in both books with reference to the designated items that are supposed to be in each quarter. Anything damaged must be repaired, through the temple's funds, but missing items must be compensated for by the [residents of that] quarter.

A few days before the day of the transfer of official duties between new and old officials, the treasury official is obliged to visit each quarter, accompanied by his attendant carrying the central record book, and each item is checked and identified, comparing it with the written record. Thus, it is possible to clarify what is missing. The responsibility for losses lies with the workmen of each quarter. What is lost need not be sought for, however. If any discovered difference is compensated by them [according to the appropriate monetary value of the item or otherwise,] that is the end of the matter. If there are additional items, these must also be recorded in both books. It is hoped that this matter should be given careful scrutiny. VII. The Proprieties of Special Servings

at Various Quarters

1. The Abbot's Special Serving of Sweet Hot Water

for the New and Former Dual Order Officials

The abbot's guest reception assistant instructs the guest reception attendant 184

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to prepare the crepe-wrapped board with an incense burner and candle stands, and goes to the primary seat official's quarters to convey the invitation to both the former and new training faculty officials. After burning incense and performing a prostration with unopened sitting cloth, he says: The abbot wishes to invite both your reverences for a special serving of sweet hot water at the reception hall.

Next, he visits the administrative office, and after burning incense, conveys the same invitation to both the former and new administrative heads (here, incense is offered but no prostration is required). The statement is identical to the above. The guest reception assistant must visit all the other dual order officials, new and former, to convey the same invitation. He should also extend the invitation to participate in the special serving to the retired officials of the temple.

Curtains should be hung around the interior of the reception hall, and all the seating arrangements must be indicated on the floor. The main participant is seated to the abbot's left, with a space between them. The new training faculty members should be seated in the first section of the hall (i.e., the front right half), while the new administrative officials are to be seated in the second section (i.e., the front left). The former training faculty and administrative officials are seated in the third section (i.e., the middle right of the hall) and in the fourth section (i.e., the middle left of the hall), respectively, facing each other. The rest of the retired officials of the east and west orders who are participating in this special reception are seated at the right and left ends of the main section, respectively. The incense offering assistant sets up the seat name tablets beforehand, and at the appointed time, begins to drum. When the guests assemble, the guest reception assistant leads the propriety of the special serving. (The ceremonial propriety is identical to that of serving sweet hot water for a small number of participants [xiaozuotang]).

Late in the evening, sweet hot water and cake will be served. Next day, after the morning rice gruel, the abbot invites the former and new officials for tea, and later the administrative head also invites them for the same. Although the invited individuals may be excused from the latter function, they are obliged to attend the serving of tea at the abbot's office, and afterward 185

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to visit the administrative office to offer thanks for the occasion. At midmorning, the administrative office prepares a snack for them, and thereafter for the next three days the office continues to have rice gruel and rice meals delivered to the former officials at their quarters.

2. The Practice Hall Office's Special Serving

of Tea and Sweet Hot Water for the

Former and New Practitioner Assistants

After a meal of rice mixed with sprouts (caofan) is served at the abbot's office, the director of practitioners' affairs sends his attendant to invite both the former and new practitioner assistants for tea. At the same time, he invites the assistant of the guardian bodhisattva of the practice hall, before the zazen practice preceding the evening session, to arrange the seats and place the seat name tablets at his quarters, extending the invitation to the head official of the practitioners' quarters. The director of practitioners' affairs now has the wooden sounding block at his quarters struck, receives the guests, and invites them to take their seats. (The manner is identical with that of the administrative office's serving.) It is preferable, however, that this serving of tea be conducted prior to the abbot's special serving of sweet hot water. In general it must be done in a way that does not interfere with the major event that takes place at the abbot's office. Thus, in order to invite the former and new practitioner assistants for the special serving of tea, the practice hall official may have to wait until the abbot's special serving of tea for the new primary seat official is completed. Those who are invited here are obliged to express thanks the next morning.

3. The Head Administrative Official's

Special Serving of Sweet Hot Water

and an Evening Meal for the Former

and New Dual Order Officials

After the serving of an occasional meal (i.e., rice mixed with sprouts, caofan) at the abbot's office, the administrative head accompanies the guest reception attendant, carrying a crepe-wrapped tray equipped with an incense burner and candle stand, to visit the former and new primary seat officials as well 186

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as the former administrative head. After burning incense, he invites them by saying:

This evening, after the serving of sweet hot water is completed at the abbot's office, we will conduct a special serving of sweet hot water at the administrative office. I earnestly request you to grant us your honorable presence. Immediately following this, the guest reception attendant further invites them, saying:

After the serving of sweet hot water, an evening meal will be served for the guests, sir.

In addition, an invitation is extended to the old and new officials of the major and minor positions, and especially to the west hall ranking official and the retired officials as honorable participants.

The seats and name tablets must be set up in terms of the four divisions. The new training faculty officials' seats are set in the first section (i.e., front right of the hall), the former faculty officials in the second section (front left), the former administrative officials in the third section (middle right), and the estate management official and treasury administrative official in the fourth section (middle left). Additional seats are prepared for the new administrative officials as a group in the main section, but only the new director of practitioners' affairs is supposed to take a seat as participant. The seats of the retired officials who participate in this serving must be arranged in the fashion previously referred to in the serving of sweet hot water at the abbot's office, [namely, the retired officials of the east and west orders should be placed on the right side of the main seat and the left side of the participant's seat, respectively]. As soon as the serving of sweet hot water at the abbot's office is finished, the administrative office strikes the wooden sounding block located there. The guests enter the hall and stand by their designated seats. The head administrative official goes around to each seating section, requesting the guests to take their seats, then burns incense on behalf of the guests of each section and bows, repeating this according to the order of the seating arrangements. Finally, returning to mid-hall, he burns incense on behalf of the special participant and takes his seat, requesting the serving. Thereupon the serving 187

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of sweet hot water begins. When the ceremony is completed he stands, proceeds to the incense burner, and thanks the guests for their presence. The guests then take off their robes and settle themselves on their seats for the evening meal.

4. The Practice Hall Official Escorts the

Former Primary Seat Official and Head

Administrative Official to Their Almsbowl Seats

Three days after the transfer of duties between the former and new dual order officials, and prior to the end of the silent period (i.e., before the dawn zazen is completed), the director of practitioners' affairs sends his attendant, accompanied by a man carrying a crimson lantern, to invite both the former primary seat official and former head administrative official for a serving of sweet hot water at his office. The director of practitioners' affairs duly receives the guests, burns incense, and, after drinking sweet hot water, says to them: Your spotless term has been fulfilled. Hence, in accordance with the temple's manner of honoring, I have the honor to escort your reverences to your almsbowl seats in the practice hall.

Ushering them into the practice hall from the rear entrance, he first escorts the former primary seat official and next the former head administrative official to their respective seats on the raised platform. Each exchanges a prostration with unopened sitting cloth, and during the day, both officials return to the hall to place their almsbowls at the assigned seat space. 5. The Abbot's Meal Reception for the

Former and New Dual Order Officials

The abbot conducts a special ascent to the Dharma hall and expresses his thanks by referring to the names of the former and new dual order officials one by one. When this is over, the two groups of officials come before the rostrum seat to express their thanks. The guest reception assistant, accompanied by a guest master attendant carrying a crepe-wrapped board with an incense burner, candle stand, and incense case, comes before the former and 188

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new training faculty and administrative officials, and, after burning incense, conveys the abbot's invitation to them, saying:

The venerable abbot, master of the temple, wishes to serve a special meal for your honors at the reception hall at noon, sirs. The guest master attendant then invites the other associate officials, old and new, for the same reception, and simultaneously extends the invitation to the retired officials as honorable participants.

The seats are arranged and the name tablets set up in the reception hall. When the guests have assembled, the abbot is notified, and he enters the hall, welcoming the guests' presence. As each guest finds his seat and stands beside it, the abbot's incense offering assistant and the guest reception assistant together go around the hall, requesting the guests to take their seats. When all are seated, they burn incense and bring forward the tables. Thereupon, all the assistants line up before the abbot, bow to him in unison, and take their respective positions, carrying out the serving of sweet hot water and the presentation of each meal. During the meal, the incense offering assistant leaves his seat to burn incense and deliver monetary gifts. When the meal is over, he and the other assistant retrieve the tables. A series of drumrolls signals the beginning of the serving of tea. (The propriety is identical with that of the special serving of sweet hot water.) With three drumbeats, the former and new dual order officials leave their seats and perform the formal propriety of two prostrations with opened sitting cloth and three prostrations with unopened sitting cloth to express their thanks.

6. The Abbot's Special Serving of Tea

for the New Primary Seat Official

The morning after the evening special meal reception, the incense offering assistant reminds the abbot that a special serving of tea is due for the new primary seat official. The assistant instructs the guest reception attendant to prepare the crepe-wrapped board with an incense burner, a candle stand, and an incense box. The guest reception assistant draws up the signboard. (The format, previously given, is identical with that of the special serving of tea for a renowned, virtuous primary seat official.) The guest reception assistant 189

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visits the primary seat official's quarters, and after burning incense and performing a prostration, says: After the noon meal, the venerable master abbot wishes to hold a special serving of tea at the practice hall in honor of your reverence. Please grant us your honorable presence.

The guest reception master then informs the practitioners by posting the signboard indicating the serving of tea, and also invites the administrative officials and practitioners to participate.

The abbot's assistants set up the name tablets indicating seating and conduct the ceremonial serving. (The ceremonial proceedings are identical to those of the special serving on the four major days of annual festivity [sijie]. The only difference is that no incense table is placed by each head monk at the four raised platforms, nor is the propriety of making a round in the hall for invitation conducted.) When the serving of tea is over, the teabowls are retrieved from the seats of the abbot and the primary seat official. At once, the latter goes before the abbot and performs the formal propriety of two prostrations with opened sitting cloth and three prostrations with unopened sitting cloth. At the first opening of the sitting cloth he says:

Today I am honored by this special serving of tea. My gratitude is greater than I can express. I cannot help feeling great regret [for this inability, sir].

At the second opening, he enquires about the well-being of the abbot, and concludes with the propriety of three prostrations with unopened sitting cloth. The primary seat official goes out of the hall, passing behind the altar of the guardian bodhisattva, and turns right to the outer hall. The abbot escorts him and returns to his place to take the teabowl. The practitioner assistant burns incense (signaling the practitioners to participate in the drinking of tea), then takes down the teabowl from the altar. After three drumbeats, the practitioners leave their seats. The primary seat official waits for the abbot at the lower left section of the Dharma hall and thanks him for the serving of tea. 190

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7. The New Primary Seat Official's

Special Serving of Tea for the Rear Hall

Primary Seat Official and the Practitioners

(If there is no rear hall primary seat official, the member of the training faculty next in rank is served.)

The morning after the abbot's special serving of tea, the new primary seat official visits the abbot's office carrying incense in his sleeve and invites the master, saying:

Today, at the end of the noon meal, a special serving of tea is scheduled [for the rear hall primary seat official as well as the practitioners] at the practice hall. I earnestly appeal to your compassion to grant us your honorable presence.

The new primary seat official then proceeds to the quarters of the rear hall primary seat official, carrying a written invitation (format given below) and a crepe-wrapped board equipped with an incense burner and candle stand. After burning incense, he invites him for the serving of tea: Today, at the end of the noon meal, a special serving of tea is scheduled at the practice hall in honor of your reverence and the practitioners. May I request your honorable presence.

Thereupon, he presents the letter of invitation. The rear hall primary seat official, recipient of the special serving of tea, instructs his master of the quarters to give the document to the serving master and request him to post it on the left section of the wall outside the practice hall. The envelope is also attached along with the document. Next, he instructs the attendant of the practice hall office to inform the practitioners about the invitation and post the signboard indicating "tea serving.

" When the metal gong located at

the kitchen hall is struck to signal the serving of tea, the primary seat official of the front hall should make a round through the practice hall, inviting the practitioners for the serving of tea.

The fellow practitioners are called to assemble by the signal of drumrolls and the ceremonial serving begins. The propriety of the serving is identical with any of the other special servings.

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The Baizhang Zen Monastic Regulations Format of the Letter of Invitation The front hall primary seat official, Bhikṣu So-and-so, has the honor of holding a special serving of tea at the practice hall after the noon meal. This is especially intended for the primary seat official of the rear hall and the practitioners. This invitation is also extended to the administrative officials as honorable participants. Date and month

Respectfully prepared

by So-and-so

Format of the Envelope

Letter of Invitation for

The Primary Seat Official of the Rear Hall as well as the Practitioners Respectfully sealed

by So-and-so

8. The Abbot's Serving of Tea for the Training Officials

by Visiting Their Quarters

After the serving of tea and sweet hot water at his office, the abbot makes his visit individually to the quarters of the training officials and serves tea. Composed and calm, with warmth, he inspects whatever is needed in their quarters and requests the treasury officials to supply it. 9. The Serving of Tea on the Occasion of the Transfer of Duties Between the Former and New Dual Order Officials While awaiting the completion of the abbot's special serving of tea for the new primary seat official, those who have been newly appointed to the dual order offices visit their respective former officials with due dignity, carrying 192

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incense in their sleeves. After burning incense and performing prostrations with unopened sitting cloth, the new appointees invite them with the following words:

After the noon meal, in honor of your reverences, tea is served at the officials' quarters.

Accordingly, each of the dual order officials instructs the practitioner in charge of tea to extend his invitation to a member of the other order, and in addition two retired officials, one each from the east and west orders, as participants. (If a west order official extends his invitation to his predecessor, he is obliged to extend his invitation to an administrative official of the east order to the main seat on the same line allocated to his predecessor, and, in addition, to invite a lower-ranking west order official as a participant. If anyone higher in rank is invited, the order of the seating arrangements is disturbed. Again, if an east order official invites his predecessor for tea, he is also obliged to invite a training official to the main seat on the same line allocated to his predecessor, and in addition, invite the treasury official, lower in rank, as a participant.)

In the official quarters, the main guest's seat must be set on the right side of the back of the room. The seats of the officials on the right and left front of the hall are to be placed respectively by the participants from the two orders. After the noon meal, the wooden sounding blocks located by both quarters are struck. The host official first receives the main guest, followed by the other participants, and then requests them to take their seats. First burning incense for the main guest, then for the participants, the host official takes his seat, signaling the serving of tea to commence. After the serving of tea is completed, the main guest stands and, receiving incense from the host, burns it, performs a prostration with unopened sitting cloth, and departs.

The next day, the host official instructs the practice hall attendant to invite the former official for the serving of a snack, so as to complete the proceeding of official transfer between the former and new officials. For this occasion, some notable participant superior to the main guest may be invited as a participant. For instance, when the primary seat official of the front hall 193

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invites the former primary seat official as his main guest, one of the two other participants may be the west hall official and a retired administrative official of the east order. If the guests represent all officials of the administration, the host of the proceeding should invite the west hall ranking official, the retired administrative officials, and the present training officials as honorable participants.

In the administrative office, curtains must be hung and the main seat should be set at the rear of the hall, while participants should be seated in the right and left sections of the hall. If a training official is invited as participant, he should be seated to the left of the main guest with a space in between, and if he is in the same order as the main guest, their seating order should reflect the difference in their ranks. On the next day, there should be the serving of a snack. The seating arrangement for the serving of simple food is identical with that of the previous day for the serving of tea. The west order official, however, ends the serving of a snack according to the rank of the guest reception official, whereas, the east order official should end it according to the rank of the director of practitioners' affairs. As to the procedure of ceremonial transfer between the former and new practitioner assistants, the director of practitioners' affairs must always be invited to participate in the serving of tea as well as servings of simple food. (The seating arrangement and conduct of serving are all identical as before.) In recent times, it has become common to invite unrelated guests and locals for the serving of snacks, but this is not proper conduct.

10. The Serving of Tea on the Occasion of

Leaving and Joining [Each Official] Quarters

When someone joins the retirees' hall, he must report it to the master of the practitioners' quarters and post a signboard indicating the serving of tea. At the left side of the board he should attach a small note that says: So-and-so invites honorable colleagues for tea to be served after the noon meal.

After the meal, he prepares incense and candles, and all bow in unison. Requesting the master of quarters to stay at the main seat, the person who serves tea takes his temporary seat at the guest position. He stands, burns 194

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incense, bows to every member, returns to take his seat again, and the serving of tea and retrieval of the teabowls are carried out. The master of the quarters stands and expresses thanks before the incense burner.

When someone is appointed a training official and is to leave the retirees' hall, he is obliged to conduct the propriety of serving tea for the official transfer of duty. The next day, he requests the practitioner in charge of tea to report to the master of the quarters and post the signboard indicating the serving of tea. After the noon meal, striking the small wooden sounding block in the practitioners' quarters, the practitioner in charge of tea stands to the right of the entrance to the quarters, greets the practitioners, and proceeds to the incense burner to bow. The master of the quarters takes the main seat and the practitioner in charge of tea takes a seat to the right of the main seat with some space in between. After seating himself in an easy manner, he stands, burns incense, bows, and returns to take his seat again. Thereupon, the serving of tea is carried out. The master of the quarters and the other practitioners rise and give thanks for the tea before the incense burner, see off the person who sponsored the tea reception, and depart. When someone is appointed to be a training official and leaves the practitioners' quarters, he requests the practitioner in charge of tea beforehand to report it to the master of the quarters and to post the signboard indicating the serving of tea. After the noon meal, when the wooden sounding board is struck, he stands to the right of the entrance to the quarters, greets the practitioners, enters the quarters to stand at his position, and, after a bow, requests them to take their seats. He proceeds to the middle of the room as well as to the right and left sections of the quarters to burn incense, and bows to the center, right, and left sections. Thereupon, he bows toward the central shrine, and the head official of the practitioners' quarters greets him. They are seated face to face across the middle section of the room and the serving of tea is carried out. The head official of the quarters comes before the incense burner to express thanks for the tea and see off the newly appointed training official as he departs. When someone joins the quarters, he is obliged to sponsor the serving of tea (the ceremonial conduct is identical to that of the present case). However, the head official and associate official of the quarters take the main seat and guest seat, and the sponsor of the serving of tea cannot enter to take his seat by himself.

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11. The Training Officials' Serving of Tea

at the Practice Hall

After completing the propriety of the serving of tea on the occasion of leaving the practitioners' quarters, the newly appointed training official is obliged to prepare the signboard to indicate the serving of tea (format given below). He requests the practitioner in charge of tea to post it on the left-hand wall of the outer practice hall, and, properly attired, visits the abbot's office and invites him to the serving of tea. The practitioners are further informed of the serving of tea by signboards posted at each of the quarters. The training official requests the alms-serving master beforehand to prepare hot water and arrange the teabowls, while the treasury official provides tea and candles. After the noon meal, while the practitioners remain in their seats, the serving of tea begins. The new training official enters the hall, burns incense, and performs the serving of tea. (The remaining propriety is identical with that of the first day of each month and mid-month day.)

Format of the Signboard for the Serving of Tea

Such-and-such quarters have become congested, and it is not possible for all to be seated for the serving. Today, therefore, the serving of tea will be conducted at the practice hall after the noon meal. May all practitioners grant their presence with compassion. Date and month

Respectfully prepared

by So-and-so

Format of the Envelope

[Addressed with the title "Zen Masters"]

Officials of This Temple

Renowned Elders of the Zen World

Local Practice Associates

Honorable Practice Hall Practitioners

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VIII. The Ceremonial Incense Offering

by the Dual Order Officials through the

Proceeding of Pairs from the

East and West Orders

In general, whenever the dual order officials are scheduled to offer incense in successive pairs from both orders, it is signaled by the sound of the cymbals. The director of practitioners' affairs first steps forward from his order to stand before the incense burner, turns around to face the audience, bows to the abbot, and burns incense on his behalf. (The abbot's assistant presents him an incense case.) Next, with a bow, he requests officials of both orders to burn incense. Thereupon, two officials from both groups form a pair by stepping out from their positions, turn toward the abbot, and bow in unison. (This is called "to borrow incense" [jiexiang].) The two officials proceed to the incense burner and burn incense.

(If it is in the commemorative occasion of the imperial birthday or the memorial rites for the Buddha and patriarchs, as well as for the master of the Dharma lineage, there is no need for the bows symbolizing "to borrow incense.

" If the west-hall ranking official is present in the east order position, he is obliged to offer incense prior to the dual order officials. It is not correct, however, to say that the primary seat official who once held a position of abbot should also burn incense before the dual order officials. He should form a pair with the administrative head of the east order.) End of Chapter VI: The Dual Order Offices

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