百丈清規證義記

1.1 The First Preface

The First Preface to the Baizhang

Pure Rules, Composed by Yang Yi, Academician of the Hanlin Academy and Founding Marquis

Chan Master Baizhang Dazhi applied the Chan teachings transmitted from Shaoshi Mountain (Bodhidharma) to Caoxi (the Sixth Patriarch). Up to that time, most Chan practitioners resided in Vinaya-school monasteries. Although they lived in separate compounds, such matters as expounding the Dharma and presiding over monasteries were not yet governed by proper regulations. The Master therefore continually cherished the aspiration to rectify them. He maintained that if the Way of the Buddhas and Patriarchs was to be preserved intact, without distortion, how could it be practiced in the same manner as the Agama school? Some said that the Yoga and Jeweled Necklace Sutras set forth the Mahayana precepts, so why should one not rely upon them?

The Master said: “Our school is not confined to either the Mahayana or the Hinayana. Without treating the Hinayana and Mahayana as different, it adopts a balanced course from what is profound and comprehensive in both and establishes regulations, provided that they are appropriate.” Thus he conceived the innovation of establishing a distinct Chan institution. Though dwelling among ordinary beings, one who possesses the Dharma eye and virtue worthy of reverence is called an Elder.

In India, an Elder lofty in the Way and advanced in Dharma age is called an acharya, a properly qualified preceptor. The Master resides in the abbot’s quarters, like the small chamber of Vimalakirti; it is not merely a private bedroom but also a shrine hall. In front stands the Dharma-Reception Hall, symbolizing familiarity with the Buddhas and Patriarchs and expressing the reverence of the time.

In assembling the community, no distinction is made according to whether the number is large or small, or whether persons are of high or low status. Once someone has entered the Sangha residence, all are arranged according to Dharma age. Beds are set in long rows, with storage compartments and racks for hanging belongings.

When sleeping, one must of course have a blanket and pillow and lie on the right side in the auspicious posture. Since practitioners sit in meditation for long periods, they require only a place to rest their backs, yet even in resting they must observe the full forms of dignified conduct. Except during private interviews, communal work, and study, no distinction is made between senior and junior, nor is rank taken as the standard.

Once a person has joined the community, however, in the morning they must participate in Chan meditation, cultivation, and work; in the evening they must join the community in sutra recitation, study, assemblies, and so forth.

The Elder ascends the Dharma seat to expound the Dharma; the officers conduct the affairs of the community in their proper order; and hosts and guests exchange formal inquiries. The essential principles of the school are proclaimed as an expression of practice in accordance with the Dharma.

The two daily meals of rice gruel and cooked rice are provided according to what is suitable. Frugality is maintained so that the Dharma lineage may continue to flow. In communal labor, seniors and juniors alike contribute their strength.

Ten offices are established, each with one person appointed to lead and supervise the community’s work, ensuring that every matter is properly completed. If anyone in disguise or under false pretenses infiltrates the pure community and causes disturbance, the rector must immediately investigate and bring that person before the community for punishment or expulsion from the monastery, so that the community may remain pure.

If someone commits an offense, the community must convene to deliberate and determine an appropriate penalty, after which the offender is expelled from the monastery, thereby causing that person to feel shame and remorse. This punishment has four benefits:

1- It preserves the purity of the community and inspires faith and reverence,

2- It does not deprive the monk of his religious status, in accordance with the Buddha’s teaching,

3- It prevents disturbance at the monastery gate and avoids recourse to government authorities,

4- It prevents the matter from being disclosed outside, thereby preserving the tradition of the school.

When the community dwells together, sages and ordinary beings must be clearly distinguished. Even while the Buddha was in the world, the group of six bhikkhus still caused disturbances; how much more so today, in the Dharma-ending age—how could there be no faults whatsoever? When a monk is seen committing an offense, it is better to bring it forth and reprimand him by pointing out his fault than to remain unaware and allow the community to become contemptuous, thereby harming the teachings and inflicting no small injury upon the Way.

Nowadays, Chan monasteries seem to take too few precautions against harmful circumstances. Therefore, Baizhang’s Pure Rules for Chan Monasteries divide and define each category and every aspect of monastic affairs in an orderly manner. Moreover, laws and regulations are established to guard against wrongdoing, not for the sake of the virtuous.

It is better to maintain a standard by which offenses are not committed than to allow offenses to occur without correction. How immensely beneficial was Chan Master Dazhi’s establishment of the Pure Rules to preserve the Buddha-Dharma! These are regarded as the oldest and foremost regulations of the Chan school.

The general principles of the Pure Rules are set forth in the Table of Contents of the Pure Rules in a very orderly and lucid manner. Having discerned their essential import, they were revised and established as a bright lamp for later generations.

For this reason, I have written this preface.

1.2 Original Preface to the Record of Evidential Explanations of the Pure Rules

A nation’s government governs its people by laws and ordinances; the Buddhas and Patriarchs instruct the Sangha through the precepts and the Pure Rules. Buddhism, like Confucianism, has laws; the only difference is that the Buddha taught the Vinaya but did not speak of supplementary ordinances.

The Pure Rules are like secular laws: they were set forth by the Patriarchs to preserve the proper forms. The Pure Rules, however, originated with Master Fayun of Guangzhai Monastery during the Liang dynasty in the fifth century. By imperial decree, he compiled the Pure Rules to prevent and eliminate the transgressions of the monastics of his time, and they were transmitted down to the Tang dynasty (618–907). During the Liang dynasty, Chan in particular and Buddhism in general had not yet flourished greatly; by the Tang dynasty, however, the Chan teaching may be said to have reached its zenith. Master Baizhang collected and compiled the rules into a book, and therefore his name was specifically used as its title.

The complete work consists of nine chapters: prayers for the nation’s strength and the people’s prosperity; requiting profound kindness, such as the kindness of parents, teachers, the sovereign, and the Three Jewels; remembering the source when drinking water; observing the commemorative days of Buddhas and bodhisattvas; and observing the memorial days of the Patriarchs and predecessors who labored diligently to establish the foundation of the Way.

The chapter on the Abbot concerns essential duties that must be carried out appropriately, such as matters involving the community’s quarters in the eastern and western rows, the various monastic offices, and the Dharma of the six harmonies for dwelling within the community. The summer rains retreat, Dharma age, and, in the final chapter, the Dharma instruments used in the monastery—such as bells, drums, cloud-shaped gongs, chimes, handbells, and so forth—are all included in the Pure Rules as signals for humans and devas, so that they may be transmitted far and wide.

Excellent indeed! The exemplary teacher Baizhang Dazhi stands out as a preeminent figure. The “Record of the Pavilions of the Original Mountain” states: “The Buddha’s Way was illuminated through Bodhidharma; the Buddha’s work was brought to completion through Baizhang.” Although the world contains countless disparities, with disputes over superiority and inferiority, self and other, now releasing and now grasping without consistency, and although the literary style may offend some people, it is nevertheless necessary to dissect and analyze matters so that the many may truly benefit.

Even the major outlines and principal sections have never been absent from these Pure Rules. Regrettably, they have been transmitted for so long that the authentic and the spurious have become intermingled and difficult to distinguish. Moreover, the Buddha-Dharma is now in decline, and the precepts seem to have been neglected and abandoned.

Alas, these Pure Rules occupy so lofty and advantageous a position—as a remedy for the perils of the age—that this book must urgently be disseminated.

Here I, Bhikkhu Nghi Nhuan, consulted many books, but found this volume alone to be truly excellent. Its chapters and sections resemble those in the Great Canon and closely correspond to the table of contents of the “Outlines Set Forth by Successive Patriarchs.” Its prose is concise yet lucid, and its meaning is clear yet profound. Its principles are complete, and thus it may be called a fairly comprehensive work.

Whoever studies and reads it, whether of sharp or dull faculties, will benefit; thus neither space nor time remains an obstacle. Yet, fearing that beginners might not fully understand it, I cited the writings of ancient virtuous masters and provided brief explanations as supporting evidence, in order to reveal the essential meaning and make it still clearer. I have called it the Baizhang Record of Evidential Explanations of the Pure Rules for Chan Monasteries, and this is the account of the book’s origin.

Those who wish to understand its meaning thoroughly are respectfully asked to read the contents of the book. I also hope that all of you will lend your assistance in circulating it widely. With these few brief words, I respectfully submit this statement so that the worthy ones in every quarter may understand.

In the third year of Daoguang, the year Quý Mùi, on the occasion of the Self-Invitation Ceremony marking the conclusion of the summer retreat, in the humble study at Chân Tịch Monastery, Cổ Hàng.

Respectfully submitted,

Bhikshu Nghi Nhuận

1.3 Preface to the Reprinting of the Evidentiary Commentary on the Pure Rules

The single-volume Pure Rules is traditionally attributed to Chan Master Baizhang Huaihai, who consulted, revised, and had reprinted the original text composed by Master Fayun of the Liang dynasty under imperial decree.

The Master was originally from Mân Trung, in Phước Châu Prefecture, Trường Lạc District, Fujian, and was a son of the Vương clan. From childhood, he aspired to leave the household life and shaved his own head, continuing thus until he attained the Dharma—that is, until he met a teacher who confirmed his realization. He practiced in seclusion among the mountains, but when his reputation spread, he devoted himself to traveling in all directions in search of learning, paying particular attention to the regulations of Chan.

In his later years, he took up residence at Thọ Thánh Chan Monastery on Mount Baizhang in Hồng Châu. Because the old rules compiled by Master Fayun were incomplete, he diligently reread the Vinaya Pitaka, extracting and gathering its essentials and recompiling them so that later generations might clearly understand the essential meaning of the standards governing Buddhism and the religious path. Practitioners of the Way, being attached to fixed views, placed their trust in a single book.

Regrettably, although that book had been in Zhejiang, it was lost, and the monk from Mân, Fujian, never saw it throughout his life, hearing only a few incomplete chapters containing far too many errors. He therefore wished to procure another authoritative copy for comparison and reengraving, but at West Lake all the old scripture blocks had been utterly destroyed by fire during the preceding military upheaval.

Alas! How could the standards established by earlier generations have fallen into such oblivion? Troubled by this, he spared no effort and searched and made inquiries in many ways. Fortunately, at Mã Não Monastery he found the very book he had sought. Overjoyed beyond words, he took the book and consulted his Dharma companions Thiên Thành, Từ Thủ, Từ Định, and Chiếu Nhân. All four were immeasurably delighted and encouraged by this undertaking. They then joined in soliciting contributions from the Chan students and resident communities of the various monasteries, carefully reread the text, and had blocks engraved so that it might circulate widely.

My sincere aspiration is that these rules be faithfully observed and correctly practiced, so that we may not fail in our resolve to cultivate the path of liberation. I have briefly recounted this in the account of the circumstances giving rise to this work, recording only an outline.

On an auspicious day in the cassia month of the Mậu Dần year, the fourth year of Guangxu,

written at the Long Đàm Chan Chamber.

Bhikshu and Monastic Superintendent Càn Đà

1.4 Postscript

Chan Master Baizhang wrote the Pure Rules in nine chapters, whose exposition describes the rules in their unadulterated form. Later, Bhikshu Nghi Nhuận supplemented it with accounts from ancient times, explaining them through the essential meanings of the text and providing clear evidence, so that students of later generations, upon reading it, may see everything as plainly as the palm of their hand. Such is the instructive function of this book.

We should therefore reflect upon the Buddha’s teaching: to expound the Dharma is to discourse upon EMPTINESS; yet if one does not first undertake genuine and diligent practice, through what means will one awaken to the gate of emptiness in the future? Thus, wherever the Way exists, there must also be practices, and these are addressed in the Pure Rules. Where there is diligent practice, actual fruition will surely follow.

Even in transcending the ordinary and entering the state of the sages, it will not fail the resolve of those cultivating the practice of liberation.

The ancients said: “Only one who awakens to suffering within suffering is worthy of being called a superior person; a bhikshu’s bowl of rice was never obtained naturally without labor.” May we study and investigate this together, encouraging the entire assembly in cultivation.

Respectfully composed as a postscript at Hoa Lâm Monastery in Lãnh Nam.

The later student Khoáng Nhàn

1.5 The Pure Rules of the Chan Tradition

The Pure Rules of the Chan Tradition, compiled by Patriarch Baizhang, comprises nine chapters in its entirety:

1. Prayers for a prosperous nation and a strong people

2. Repaying kindness: requiting profound and weighty beneficence

3. Repaying the source: remembering the source when drinking water, on observance days honoring Buddhas and bodhisattvas

4. The beneficence of the patriarchs who laid the foundation of the Way

5. The role of the abbot

6. The two eastern and western rows of the community’s quarters

7. Maintaining the practice of the six harmonies within the community

8. Establishing the summer retreat

9. Dharma instruments and signals within the monastery

General Principles

The Pure Rules must be clarified through the following thirteen points:

1- From the Tang dynasty, in the eighth century, until the present, more than 1,200 years have passed since the Pure Rules first appeared. This humble monk has set forth the distinctive features of ancient and modern times. Because customs differ between north and south and cannot always accord with the conditions of the age, rules have been added or omitted, though the practice of their common foundation originates therein.

Yet among the books presently in circulation, those that do not suffer from excessive complexity fall instead into excessive brevity. Excessive complexity is unsuitable for pure cultivation, while excessive brevity fails to meet the needs of practice. This book alone is neither cumbersome nor overly abbreviated, but follows a middle course.

Its texts for the ceremonies are complete, while its principles are clear and easy to put into practice. It is also particularly suited to contemporary circumstances and deserves to serve as a guiding compass.

2- Many ages have passed since Master Baizhang, and the original Pure Rules has long been unavailable for textual verification, while the versions now in circulation consist largely of accounts from later generations. It should also be understood that the original handwritten manuscript edited by Baizhang was lost long ago. Nevertheless, one cannot conclude that because this book was not personally edited by Baizhang, its guidance is therefore incorrect or inexact.

Those who investigate matters of recent times will certainly perceive their connection with knowledge transmitted from antiquity; according to the time and place, these matters become readily recognizable. This is because rites change according to circumstances and are adapted comprehensively for the common benefit. The ancients said: Words are neither old nor new; whatever accords with reason is superior.

I fear only that readers, seeing matters from recent times, may suspect that this is not Baizhang’s original text and consequently give rise to contempt. For this reason, I have specifically raised this point.

3- The original Pure Rules consisted of nine chapters, and the present volumes are arranged accordingly. Only the Water and Land section, originally contained in the chapter on the Abbotship, is now printed as a separate volume because its text is too long.

4- The terminology of the Pure Rules contains a mixture of ancient and modern usages. For example, what was formerly called the head officer is now called the chief seat or the seat leader. What was formerly called the monastery supervisor is now called the monastic superintendent.

Even the secretary for correspondence is now simply called the secretary, and the monks’ hall is now called the Chan hall. Although the names have changed, their meanings have not. Moreover, certain provisions existed formerly but do not exist now, such as the serving of tea, musk incense, and so forth.

Others did not exist formerly but do now, such as adding Baizhang to the patriarchal memorial observances and adding the Cloud Sprinkling rite to the Water and Land ritual. Some practices, such as requesting fire, no longer exist at all.

5- As the Pure Rules has been transmitted for a long time, it could hardly avoid errors being handed down as though authentic. For example, regarding the character chấp in the term chấp sự, an extensive examination of Buddhist dictionaries reveals no use of that character as the name of an office. Chấp means to grasp and maintain; one who takes charge of a matter relies upon others to carry it out. Although the term designates the offices of those who hold such responsibilities, treating chấp itself as the title of an office is ultimately forced. Other matters, such as errors concerning the three robes and the rite of offering food to beings, must likewise be corrected and revised here.

6- The meanings gathered here are not incomplete, but the text contains both abbreviated and detailed passages. For example, the rite of praying for the emperor’s longevity is explained in detail in the first chapter but abbreviated in the fourth section concerning New Year’s prayers for longevity. The observances on the new- and full-moon days are omitted. Furthermore, it is impossible to set forth every daily matter exhaustively. Thus it is said that a book cannot exhaust words, and words cannot exhaust meaning; attainment depends solely upon one who is skilled in comprehension.

7- Although the Buddhist services performed in monasteries are numerous, they do not go beyond four matters:

a- Restraint

b- Observance (restraint means stopping evil; observance means keeping the precepts, observing the precepts)

c- Active observance (maintaining all forms of dignified conduct and subtle practice)

d. Chanting and recitation (causing the sound of the Dharma to spread far and wide);

Preaching the Dharma (turning the Dharma wheel, or propagating the teachings everywhere and elucidating the ultimate meaning) may consist of only one practice, two practices, or all three together; or one practice may encompass all four. It rests solely with the Abbot to make suitable arrangements according to circumstances, harmonizing both sides so that benefit and well-being may be attained. The ancient regulations are no longer seen in the present day.

8. From the Abbot down to the administrative officers, there is no one who should not read this book. It is especially necessary for beginners, so that they may become proficient in practice and not encounter matters about which they are uncertain. Through it, practitioners can restrain their deportment and discipline their consciousness; in the present, they will not be negligent and incur further faults, and in the future, they may become worthy teachers and exemplars, bringing no small benefit. The book Thành Nghi Nhơn Phụng should also be consulted for greater completeness.

9. This book benefits practitioners of all three capacities; those of keen and dull faculties alike may be nourished by it. On the first reading, its language may appear easy to understand, but upon careful reading a third or fourth time, its principles and meanings prove profoundly unfathomable. Those who are coarse-minded and superficial can hardly hope to digest the book. In this collection, wherever the meaning is profound and difficult to understand, clear and readily comprehensible evidence and explanations are provided to facilitate the understanding of beginners.

10. The section establishing the meaning sometimes explains the text directly and sometimes uses events to clarify principles, as in “The Monthly Memorial,” “The Sanitation Steward,” and so forth. At times it supplements the meaning, and at times it expands and deeply elaborates upon it. Readers must pay careful attention throughout.

11. Although the explanations establishing the meaning were written by the compiler, Nghi Nhuận, most of the cited words come from ancient worthies, using the ancient to compare with the present so that readers may readily give rise to faith. Whenever an explanation is supported by evidence, the person or book from which it derives is clearly identified. If chapters or passages were quoted merely for their meaning without clearly naming their sources, that would be an ill-considered practice; how could one dare regard it as admirable?

12. Gathering together all the explanatory texts might make it seem that they were not composed by Bách Trượng. Thus, whether or not his book includes citations, disciples of the Buddha should not make frivolous words their daily study, thereby distracting themselves from cultivation. Yet, with regard to practical matters and directives, they cannot but trust in what is appropriate. Therefore, the original text is still reproduced here so that those who use it may see the truth. I would not dare speak excessively and claim to possess knowledge, yet it was also necessary to supply a few omissions.

13. Apart from the canonical edition of the Rules of Purity, recently printed editions, and even handwritten copies, have become corrupted either through carelessness or through arbitrary additions and omissions, transmitting falsehood as falsehood. Gradually, the original text has been lost, so that the connection with the Patriarch’s bequeathed teachings concerning the regulations of the monastic community is no longer exact.

I, Bhikshu Nghi Nhuận, obtained this text and compared it with the canonical edition; it appears to follow the greater part of that edition without difference. From this it may be inferred that this is a precious book that must urgently be circulated widely, lest it be lost or perish. Each regulation is discussed below to substantiate the foregoing statement.

I hope readers will open the book and study it carefully; then they will certainly understand and have no further doubts. I reverently hope that eminent and venerable elders will correct its errors and omissions. If this can be done, I shall dare engrave their kindness upon my bones and inscribe it upon my heart.

May it be so! I also hope that wise spiritual friends who profoundly understand the Patriarch’s intent will skillfully adapt to circumstances and correct any errors. That would truly be a blessing beyond measure!

1.6 Eulogy

In the Western Land, written words were wholly absent;

Chan Master Huaihai was an exemplary guide.

One volume of the Rules of Purity, like the staff and shout,

Surpasses the stupas raised by later generations.

Through the six periods, worship and chanting tend the lamp;

Diligently cultivate—the exemplar of the Sangha.

Without the Rules of Purity serving as compass and square,

Southern Chan would overturn Huineng’s Dharma.

On Bách Trượng’s mountain peak, buds opened into flowers;

An ancient trace—the chamber of Vimalakirti.

Those who leave home rejoice in the Way, serene and pure;

Know, then, that within the Chan gate, affairs are many.

Here at this pure ford, follow the path and seek;

The seeker suddenly realizes the mind of Chan.

The southern branch and the northern bough sway lightly;

At one’s ear resounds the echo of the sacred Dharma voice.

Nam Huân—Layman Tử Hư of Nam Hải

1.7 The Original Meaning of Patriarch Bách Trượng’s Rules of Purity for Monastic Communities

Bhikshu Nghi Nhuận of Chân Tịch Monastery

in Cổ Hàng, established the meaning.

Abbot Diệu Vĩnh of Giới Châu Monastery

in Việt Thành, reviewed and corrected the text.

This is the Record Establishing the Meaning of the Rules of Purity. First, the five levels of its original meaning are explained:

1. Its title is based on person, analogy, and Dharma.

2. Its essence consists of the provisional, the real, and characteristics.

3. Its guiding principle is to uphold the regulations for internal protection.

4. Its function is to clarify practical matters in accordance with the Dharma.

5. Its doctrinal classification is that of thickened milk and clarified butter, together with their function.

1.7.1 Its Title Is Based on Person, Analogy, and Dharma

First, concerning the title based on person, analogy, and Dharma: the person is explained by the two words “Bách Trượng.” The person is Master Bách Trượng. This is the name of the mountain, commonly known to many as Đại Hùng Mountain, situated on the Long Hưng road, three hundred li from the prefectural seat in Hồng Châu, now within Phụng Tân District of Nam Xương Prefecture. He was Great Master Huaihai, surnamed Wang, from Trường Lạc village in Phước Châu.

At the age of twenty, he shaved his head and entered monastic life under Venerable Huệ Chiếu at Tây Sơn. He received the bhikshu precepts from Vinaya Master Pháp Triêu at Hoành Sơn and received the Dharma from Chan Master Mazu Daoyi in Jiangxi. He belonged to the second generation of the orthodox lineage of the Southern Peak Chan school.

He resided on this mountain at Đại Trí Thọ Thánh Chan Monastery and vigorously propagated the Chan school. He was devoted to strict observance of the precepts and often used Quang Trạch Monastery of the Liang dynasty as a place of practice where the Sangha assembled. He exerted himself to establish monastic codes, causing the Vinaya-pitaka to be proclaimed anew, consulting it broadly, analyzing it meticulously, and establishing regulations suited to the needs of the time.

Moreover, he personally served as an example, laboring every day as a guide for the assembly. When the community urged him to cease working, he said:

“Since I possess no virtue, I should not make use of the labor of others.”

The assembly then ceased urging him. He immediately abstained from eating and clearly stated the principle: “A day without work is a day without food,” a saying still widely transmitted in the world today. He entered nirvana on the seventeenth day of the first lunar month in the ninth year of Yuanhe, at the age of ninety-five. In the thirteenth year of Yuanhe, his remains were reinterred on this mountain.

In the first year of Changqing, the emperor bestowed upon him the title Chan Master Great Wisdom and gave his stupa the name Great Jewel Victorious Wheel; his Rules of Purity then circulated widely. During the Song dynasty, in the first year of Daguang, the emperor additionally bestowed upon him the title Awakening Illumination and gave his stupa the name Assembly of Wisdom. The Rules of Purity were re-engraved and printed during the Yuan dynasty. In the third year of Yuantong, the emperor conferred upon him the title Chan Master Expansive Lineage and Wondrous Practice, with the designation Sangha Virtue and Radiance, and ordered that the Rules of Purity be revised and again circulated throughout the monastic communities.

In ancient times, the dhutanga practitioner Sima often came to Bách Trượng Mountain to compile records, saying that a Dharma king dwelt there, serving as an exemplary teacher for all under heaven. This was indeed fitting. According to the maps, Bách Trượng is the name of a mountain, and the Bách Trượng spoken of here is in Hồng Châu. From the Tang dynasty onward, Bách Trượng also became a personal designation, especially associated with several authors. Here he is called the Old Patriarch Huaihai of Bách Trượng. This concludes the brief explanation of the person.

Next, the Analogy is explained: the two words “monastic forest” constitute the Analogy. A monastic forest is a place where grasses and trees grow intertwined, serving as an analogy for a monastic residence, a place where the Sangha dwells, where practitioners of pure conduct cultivate the Way, and whence the seeds of the Way are sown in aspiration toward the fruits of sagehood, bringing benefit to all beings. This meaning is also fully set forth in the sutras and vinaya. For example, the Avatamsaka Sutra, in the chapter “Freedom from Worldly Entanglements,” contains this verse:

The bodhisattva’s tree of wondrous Dharma

Springs from the ground of an upright mind;

Faith is its root, compassionate conduct its nurture,

And wisdom is its trunk.

Skillful means are its branches and boughs;

The other five perfections make it flourish;

Meditative concentration its leaves, spiritual powers its flowers,

And omniscience its wholesome fruit.

Furthermore, the “Parable of the Medicinal Herbs” chapter of the Lotus Sutra also uses grasses, trees, and forests as an analogy for people who, according to their capacities, receive instruction and transformation. Likewise, the vinaya clearly states that whenever four or more members of the Sangha, even hundreds or thousands, dwell together in one place and conduct affairs in accordance with the Dharma, harmoniously blending like water and milk, this is called a monastic forest. By extension, the term bhikshu is rendered as Bi-so. In the Western Regions (India), this is said to be the name of a grass possessing five virtues:

1. Its soft and pliant nature symbolizes the virtue of concentration by which a monastic disciplines body and mind and does not allow them to become coarse or impure.

2. Its fibers interweave like cloth, symbolizing a monastic’s virtue of wisdom in transmitting the Dharma and liberating beings, enduring like brocade without breaking.

3. Its fragrance wafts afar, symbolizing the virtue of moral discipline; the fragrance of the precepts spreads its perfume and inspires everyone’s respect.

4. Its ability to cure painful illnesses symbolizes the virtue of liberation, which can sever afflictions and prevent poisonous shoots from arising.

5. Its not turning away from the sunlight symbolizes the virtue of liberated knowledge and vision; it constantly faces the wisdom-light radiating from the Buddha-sun and is liberated from all wrong views and wrong actions. This is why a bhikshu is called Bi-so.

These two analogies involving grasses and trees show that being a monastic depends entirely upon cultivation as its foundation. Therefore it is said that when the abbot possesses virtue in the Way, the monastic forest increasingly flourishes; when virtue in the Way is lacking, the monastic forest becomes increasingly imperiled. When the Sangha possesses the five virtues and maintains regulations, it is truly worthy; without rules, everything is utterly ruined. Yet how could the regulations of a monastic forest be easy to maintain, and how could one easily deserve to be called a bhikshu! This concludes the explanation of the Analogy.

Next, the Dharma is explained: the two words “Pure Regulations” constitute the Dharma. First, according to the explanation based on phenomena, they mean refining until purity and clarity are attained, establishing a model of pure conduct, and unfolding it in daily life so as to propagate the Buddha’s teaching. Furthermore, the Pure Regulations were instituted in accordance with the Dharma and comprise distinct categories and sections.

According to fascicle ten of the Mulasarvastivada Vinaya, which mentions the 101 karman procedures, the Buddha taught: “Suppose an incident occurs: one should personally appear before the assembly and repent, without deception or concealment. If compliance with a certain matter is impure, while acting contrary to it is pure, then this is an impure matter and should not be done. If compliance with a certain matter is pure, while acting contrary to it is impure, then this is a pure matter and should be followed and performed.”

The Dharmaguptaka Vinaya states: “What the Buddha has prescribed must not be rejected; what the Buddha has not prescribed must not be arbitrarily prescribed.” The Pure Regulations of Patriarch Baizhang reiterate the meaning of these words.

Furthermore, the Brahma’s Net Sutra states: “When inviting the Sangha, the field of merit, to perform prayers, one should enter the monastic residence and ask the officer in charge: ‘I now wish to invite the Sangha to perform prayers.’”

The officer in charge replies: “Make the invitations according to the established order. In this way, one invites the worthy and sage members of the Sangha throughout the ten directions.”

Furthermore, fascicle ten of the Dharmaguptaka Vinaya, in the section on the Nissaggiya Pacittiya rules, states: “Venerable Sir, someone has sent this sum of money for a robe for you; please accept it.”

That bhikshu should reply: “Although he has spoken in this way, I should not accept this money for a robe. If I require a robe at the proper time, I will accept one that is pure.”

That bhikshu should then ask on behalf of the donor: “Venerable Sir, is there someone who can act as a steward?”

The bhikshu who requires the robe should reply: “There is—either someone within the Sangharama, the monastery, or an upasaka. This steward regularly performs such tasks for the bhikshus.”

Likewise, the Medicine Buddha Sutra states: “There are those who, although they do not violate the precepts, nevertheless violate the regulations.”

It should therefore be understood that the Pure Regulations of the monastic forest already existed during the Buddha’s lifetime. When Buddhism entered China, from the reign of Emperor Ming of the Han dynasty onward, in the first century CE, places where large numbers of monastics dwelt were called monastic forests. Practicing in strict accordance with the precepts and vinaya constituted the Pure Regulations.

By the time of Master Baizhang in the Tang dynasty, in the seventh century, the Pure Regulations had already circulated in China for more than six hundred years. Over the course of time, abuses arose among people, so the Patriarch established this system, earnestly hoping to rectify such faults and leave its virtue to later generations. The “Dedication of Merit” chapter of the Avatamsaka Sutra states: “The bodhisattva takes the gift of Dharma as foremost, thereby bringing forth all pure and wholesome dharmas, preserving them until omniscience is attained.” This was the intention of the ancient Patriarch.

Next, according to the explanation based on principle, Master Miao Yong of Jiezhou explains the words “Pure Regulations” as follows: our minds are originally endowed with the wondrous, perfect Way. In discussing the mind, it is originally perfect and luminous; differences arise only through delusion and awakening. As beings circulate through the ten realms, distinctions appear in their direct and circumstantial recompenses, yet the Dharma-nature is fundamentally identical and complete.

The standard inherent in our minds encompasses everything and contains, without excess, the direct and circumstantial recompenses of the ten realms; in this respect they are identical. Because the causal responses of delusion and awakening and of cause and effect are never mistaken, this is regulation. It brings into being the principles and phenomena of the myriad dharmas without deviation; non-deviation is the Middle.

Having no excess is the Provisional. Being without difference is Emptiness. Emptiness is the Provisional, and the Provisional is the Middle: these are the three contemplations of our minds.

These three contemplations can function as regulations: Emptiness illuminates the ultimate truth and puts an end to defilement; the Provisional illuminates conventional truth and encompasses the myriad existents; the Middle illuminates both while abiding in neither. The ultimate is the one ultimate and all is ultimate; neither the conventional nor the Middle is other than the ultimate. The conventional is the one conventional and all is conventional; neither the ultimate nor the Middle is other than the conventional.

The Middle is the one Middle and all is Middle; neither the conventional nor the ultimate is other than the Middle. This ultimate, this conventional, and this Middle are precisely the Three Truths within our minds. These Three Truths serve as the essence upon which the regulations depend.

Because this fundamental essence is difficult to lose, Dharma is taken as the standard. In Buddhism it is the disciplinary code; in Confucianism it is law and regulation; and Patriarch Baizhang called it the Pure Regulations. Although engaging in the world and transcending the world are not the same, and although ending evil and giving rise to good have different names, their meaning is the same.

This concludes the above explanation of the Pure Regulations as Dharma.

Entering into the details, the meaning may be seen more broadly as follows: regulations are used as an analogy for straightening what is bent and making it square. Here the wisdom of the great assembly, like grasses, is set forth through the safeguarding of the precepts and vinaya. Taking the explanation in the Golden Light Sutra as an analogy: regulation is precisely Dharma.

1.7.2 The Provisional, the Real, and Their Characteristics as the Essence

The Collection on Upholding the Dharma states that the Way is originally the ultimate reality, while rites, music, and legal institutions are provisional means of governance and transformation. Without provisional means, the teaching cannot be established, nor can the Way be practiced. Confucius composed the Spring and Autumn Annals and authored works such as the Book of Rites, thereby bringing provisional laws and institutions to completion. If one wishes to dispense with words, the sole remaining method is penetrating contemplation through which the reality of the nature of awakening is revealed; this is the vast grace of the Buddhas, thoroughly illuminating the three realms.

Once the Dharma of transformation shines forth, self-awakening gives rise to direct cognition and the wisdom of the sages. Using the opening and restricting, maintaining and violating, of the characteristics of the Provisional and the Real to reveal and bring forth faith and understanding is the essence and function through which practice and realization become one suchness.

Thus, although the assembly at Vulture Peak numbered as many as a million people, they lived together in harmony without opposition, never bringing disgrace upon their good name, like water blending with milk. Hence it was said: “Without being governed, they did not fall into disorder; without words, they naturally had faith. Beholding the Buddha’s golden form, they were transformed, without needing to await conciliation, exhortation, admonition, or warning, yet they remained self-vigilant.” Those who practiced good, avoided evil, and established the disciplinary regulations as a sheltering roof and supporting beams certainly left nothing behind in nirvana.

The Buddha repeatedly issued this injunction, saying:

– “Bhikshus, after I enter extinction, you must honor the Pratimoksha—the precepts—as your Teacher. This royal Dharma transforms the entire great trichiliocosm and shelters future generations.” The wise do not transgress it! The nonduality of principle and phenomena is a most lucid teaching of nonduality.

During the period of the True Dharma, when the teaching had only begun to flourish, the Buddhadharma prospered, and all rites, decorum, and regulations remained harmonious and accommodating.

From the time of Master Bodhidharma onward, the essential teaching of mind was transmitted separately. Many attained genuine realization, yet among them there were not none who were insubstantial and vain, ultimately falling into emptiness! If one measures people solely by their outward bearing and appearance, that is insufficient as a standard of moral character and does not accord with their true attainment.

If one does not understand expedient means leading to the real, where can the real be found? To need no expedient means is proper only for one of great wisdom, worthy of serving as a model; their function is to extol the disciplinary rules. Those who uphold the guiding principles in a secluded aranya are valiant dragons and elephants—how could this not be trusted?

Principle is never apart from phenomena, and the Buddha-work within the Gate of Emptiness—the Zen gate—does not abandon a single dharma. Therefore, the marks of the expedient and the real are taken as its Essence.

1.7.3 Taking the Upholding of the Precepts and Inner Safeguarding as the Tenet

Whether in the Lesser Vehicle or the Great Vehicle, all must uphold and practice the precepts. When an evil word has already been uttered, ceasing from such conduct is itself observance; this is precisely the Pure Regulations. In the Zen monasteries, rules prohibiting transgressions and preventing wrongdoing are intended to uphold the precepts and put an end to evil. Every ceremonial practice, such as meditation and mindfulness of the Buddha, is the active observance of the precepts. These two aspects—cessation and practice—accord with the precepts.

Furthermore, one uses virtue to transform others and inspire them to develop faith in the Buddhadharma. Internally, one works to preserve the True Dharma; one continually propagates the Dharma far and wide, causing the Dharma wheel to turn forever without ceasing, thereby benefiting oneself and others. This is called taking the inner safeguarding of the precepts as the Tenet. Those who do not observe the precepts and do not follow the Pure Regulations are evil demons who themselves destroy the Buddhadharma.

The Brahma Net Sutra records: “The Buddhadharma cannot be destroyed by non-Buddhists or heavenly demons. Just as only the parasites within a lion can consume its flesh, so too can the Buddha’s teaching be destroyed only by the Buddha’s own disciples.”

The Surangama Sutra states: “What is a thief? It is one who borrows my robes, sells out the Tathagata, commits every kind of evil karma, yet claims it to be the Buddhadharma; who slanders those who have left the household life and received the bhikshu precepts, though they serve as transmitters of the Way, thereby causing countless sentient beings to fall mistakenly into the Avici hell.” Because of this grave corruption, when the Buddha was about to enter nirvana, he repeatedly reminded the bhikshus to observe the precepts and also rebuked those who violated them.

Those who properly uphold the regulations are those who truly observe the precepts. Here these are called the Pure Regulations, whose true meaning is strict and earnest discipline. Therefore, the internal observance of the precepts is taken as the Tenet.

1.7.4 Taking the Discussion of Matters According to the Dharma as the Function

Taking the discussion of matters according to the Dharma as the Function involves two kinds of occasions:

1- Regular occasions, such as New Year’s Day, the Qingming observance, the Buddha’s Birthday, the ancestral memorial days, and so forth, for which fixed times are appointed.

2- Irregular occasions, such as ceremonies of celebration and blessing, prayers for longevity, assuming the office of abbot, retiring to the Abbot’s Quarters, and so forth. Whether these occasions are held before or afterward is not fixed.

Thus, although the occasions are numerous, it is sufficient to set forth only these two here. Matters are used to clarify principle, for only when principle is understood can transformation through teaching be readily accomplished. Yet when customary matters encounter obstacles, one must know how to adapt skillfully through expedient means so that the work of teaching and transformation may be brought to completion.

From ancient times to the present, members of the Sangha have needed to understand this meaning clearly. They should neither neglect their duties nor violate the prescribed forms and regulations. Those who constrict themselves through delusion or stubborn attachment, lacking understanding to the point of obstructing practice, regard the mere mention of the Pure Regulations as an affliction—how could this not be mistaken?

The discipline of the Way gradually declines and eventually leads to such corruption.

First, the meaning of the precepts must be proclaimed and made thoroughly understood, without disdain for humble or provincial places; this serves as an exhortation to diligence. Moreover, only by discussing matters according to the Dharma can one clearly see how demons are transformed into Buddhas, the deviant is turned into the upright, deceit and wickedness are eliminated, peace and happiness are brought to everyone, rites and decorum are rectified, virtue in the Way is nurtured, and the monastic community is made to flourish. Only when not a single sentient being is omitted from teaching and transformation can this be called the lifeblood of the Sangha Jewel. Without the precepts and the Pure Regulations, it could not endure for long. This must be believed.

1.7.5 Taking the Teaching Characterized by the Function of Curd

The Wise Master Tiantai cited the Nirvana Sutra, which speaks of the five flavors, “from the cow comes milk, culminating in ghee,” to explain the Tathagata’s lifetime of teaching as divided into five periods:

1- “The period of teaching the Avatamsaka Sutra is likened to milk,

2- The period of teaching the Agama Sutras is likened to curd,

3- The period of teaching the Vaipulya Sutras is likened to raw cream,

4- The period of teaching the Prajnaparamita Sutras is likened to clarified butter,

5- The period of teaching the Lotus Sutra and the Nirvana Sutra is likened to ghee.”

These Pure Regulations also borrow the analogy employed in the sutra above. The distinctions from milk to ghee represent the Function of the Buddha’s teachings during the five periods. The Brahma Net Sutra and the Avatamsaka Sutra were taught during the same period; the coarse and the wondrous are harmoniously integrated, and in the most minute detail there is nothing that is not the one true Dharma realm.

This means that admonitory teachings for the world, conduct, occupations, and so forth all accord with the True Dharma. These Pure Regulations follow the meaning of the Brahma Net Sutra so that those of superior faculties may practice them. Principle and phenomena are unobstructed, and everywhere they perfectly manifest the distinctive quality of milk.

As for the Agama Sutras, although they specialize in the Four Noble Truths as a teaching of arising and cessation, the Lesser Vehicle regulations lead to awakening to non-arising and non-action. The principle of the Great Vehicle begins with ghee, which is itself produced from clarified butter; clarified butter comes from cream, and cream comes from curd. Compared with the Agama Sutras, these Pure Regulations fall within the sphere of the Lesser Vehicle, causing it also to serve as a carpenter’s ink-line and as a foundation that must not be allowed to deteriorate.

It is like a person whose two hands and two feet are complete and who becomes even more beautiful when dressed in fine garments; or like a painting whose skillfully blended colors, none deficient, make its hues stand out vividly. Only then may it be compared to curd. Therefore, curd is taken as the characteristic of the teaching.

Previously, Master Zongxi said that although the conventions of the Zen monasteries are not divided into the two forms of disciplinary precepts and the customs of a well-regulated household, there must nevertheless be a prescribed standard. Thus, in the daily activities and use of provisions, practitioners naturally possess a lofty and uncommon bearing. But one who, when faced with affairs, merely turns toward the wall thereby loses the full character of a human being. Therefore, those who leave the household life must pass through the various monastic communities and travel afar to study and inquire.

Those endowed with learning, experience, knowledge, and understanding will surely become the eyes and ears—that is, the leaders and standards—through whom monasteries are adorned and places for propagating the Dharma are established. This is precisely the performance of Buddha-work within the Zen gate; not one aspect may be lacking, just as bodhisattvas possess the three collections of pure precepts and sravakas the seven classes of disciplinary rules. What greater joy could there be in the Dharma of the Way? Truly, teachings are established according to people’s capacities, and later students and beginners must skillfully seek instruction from compassionate elders who will guide them.

2. Chapter One: Prayers for the Sovereign’s Longevity—Blessings for the King

The narrative states: What is precious in human beings is the radiant Way. Therefore, from ancient times the sovereign sages honored the teachings of the sages of the West; they did not employ the ordinary rites by which they themselves were treated, but instead revered the Way of those sages. Having received such favor from the imperial court, monastics were also specially exempted from taxes, levies, and corvée labor, enabling them to dwell in peace and devote themselves wholeheartedly to the Way.

The sovereign’s vast benevolence cannot be fully described in words. Those who become monastics must awaken to Buddha-nature and strictly uphold the precepts. Far from intending to rely upon the prosperity of the imperial court, they offer prayers morning and evening for the sovereign’s longevity, hoping that the Buddha’s compassionate grace will bestow protection, that Heaven’s heart will shine upon the ruler, and that he will shepherd the people and transform them through wholesome virtue.

Let benevolence be established as the boundary of the realm. Thus, aspiring to repay even one part in ten thousand of this kindness, the daily observances have been reverently recorded here so that the regulations may be maintained.

2.1 Establishing the Rite for Blessing the Sovereign

By command, the rites honoring the holy sovereign are arranged.

The Diamond Sutra and the Sutra of Immeasurable Life record that, whatever one’s strengths or shortcomings, monastics must be free from falsehood and deceit, thereby demonstrating reverence. The initial establishment of the Dharma platform comprises three matters: the guest hall prepares paper, ink, and other necessities; the secretary’s office is notified; and the guest prefect goes to make contact, bows once, and reports:

– Venerable Sir, on the… day of the… month of the… year, the observance of the holy sovereign’s festival will be held. May we trouble Your Reverence… to compose a few brief words. (If the secretary is absent, the deputy shall take his place. If both are absent, the brief response given below should be used.) After the secretary has made the report in accordance with the regulations, the concise draft is submitted to the abbot for review. The secretary then personally goes to the guest hall to convey the request, bows once, and responds to the invitation… The guest prefect uses yellow paper to write the text and all related details on the memorial. To establish the Dharma platform, the guest hall first invites the karmadana, who is in charge of the bell, together with the monastic assembly, to chant sutras and offer prayers. Next, after the arrangements have been suitably made and submitted to the abbot for review, the abbot is invited to ascend the Buddha hall and lead the assembly in chanting sutras to bless the sovereign. The main hall should be prepared and thoroughly swept and cleaned. The Diamond Sutra–Immeasurable Life Dharma assembly should be established and adorned with utmost solemnity, with scrolls and banners hung… clearly stating: On the… day of the… month of the… year… reverently celebrating the holy sovereign’s birthday and wishing him ten thousand years of longevity, the assembly of this monastery shall gather in the Buddha hall, recite dharanis, invoke the name of Medicine Master Buddha, and humbly pray… May the sun of the Buddha shine brightly; may the holy sovereign’s lifespan be boundless, and so forth.

Twenty monastics should be invited to chant the sutras, or at least ten each day. The program may include Dharma teachings, seated meditation or Buddha-recitation, the noon offering, repentance rites, sutra chanting, and so forth, arranged as circumstances permit.

The memorial may be read as follows:

The memorial states: The vast course of destiny unfolds; the holy sovereign establishes order, and thereby the myriad beings flourish. His great benevolence enriches a single person, yet millions depend upon it. May his lifespan be without end.

Heaven and earth cannot measure its loftiness and depth, nor can the shining sun and moon be compared to its brilliant radiance. We have long understood that praise cannot exhaust its virtues and that the wish to repay them is without limit. He guides and nurtures the virtuous and talented, teaching them to honor the four kinds of kindness and to fulfill their loyalty and fidelity.

With sincere and reverent minds, we offer prayers of blessing. Here, in Jambudvipa, among the four continents, in the country of…, the province of…, the district of…, the ward of…, on… Street, at…

Monastery (name of monastery), today, the… day of the… month of the… year, on the occasion of this auspicious festival, this monastery has fully prepared the rites for the extension of longevity and reverently invited the venerable monastic assembly to gather in the jeweled hall and establish the Diamond Sutra–Immeasurable Life Dharma assembly. For several days, monastics should be invited to take turns chanting the Avatamsaka Sutra (the Great Buddha-Crown Sutra of the Heroic March and the Myriad Practices, the Lotus Sutra, the Mahavaipulya Sutra of Perfect Awakening and Its Definitive Meaning, the Diamond Prajnaparamita Sutra, the Humane Kings’ Prajnaparamita Sutra for the Protection of the Nation, the Compassionate Dharma Assembly Repentance Liturgy,

the Emperor Liang Repentance Liturgy…).

During the recitation of each sutra, dharanis and esoteric formulas shall also be chanted, and the Buddha’s name invoked, to pray for great benevolent grace and respectfully celebrate: May His Majesty the sovereign sage live for ten thousand years, ten thousand times ten thousand years.

We further pray: May the Pole Star shine brilliantly on high; may dragons and elephants dwell in harmony; may Heaven’s net extend vast and wide. May the mountains and rivers encompass the capacity of the holy sovereign, containing within them the three thousand worlds of the Flower Treasury, and may their benefits and enriching blessings be inexhaustible. We reverently pray that divine dragons will protect the realm and the stars will shine upon it; that all beneath Heaven will be at peace; that the four seasons will be tranquil; that the people of the nation will live in harmony and joy; and that the country will be strong and flourishing.

May the sun of the Buddha shine brightly.

May dragons and devas respond manifestly.

With utmost sincerity, we submit this memorial and make our declaration.

The… day of the… month of the… year.

Abbot: Sramana (name), who reverently completes the reading.

(If government officials are present, the officiant should include the full name of each person. This memorial should be written clearly, and the four large characters “BOUNDLESS LONGEVITY” should be added at its beginning. The memorial must be read on the principal day of the observance. Offerings at the Dharma platform are to be made before noon, and the assembly shall chant the sutras together.)

Recite: Namo Buddha of Immeasurable Life. (The memorial is then burned.)

Immeasurable Lifespan

– The golden chariot and the Dharma vehicle turn their wheels together; merit transcends the three incalculable eons.

– The sun of Shun and the sun of the Buddha shine brilliantly together; the lifespan extends for a hundred million kalpas.

All Places Rejoice Together

– The sovereign moves freely, like clouds passing across the sun; the radiant stars shine together with the seas and the earth.

– His lifespan is immeasurable, like a dragon embracing the map and a phoenix building its lofty pavilion; the nation remains steadfast and enduring.

Gazing Reverently Toward the North Star

– Memorials from the eight directions are presented to the sovereign; all alike return to his transforming influence.

– The myriad people bring tribute to the court; everyone alike enjoys the peace and happiness of the realm.

(The verses above are to be written and hung along the front veranda of the main hall.)

– The Record of Verified Meaning states: The holy sovereign’s festival is also called the Festival of Ten Thousand Years of Longevity or the Festival of Heaven-Bestowed Longevity, for this is the auspicious day on which the holy sovereign was born. The Record of Zhongfeng says: Simply planted as trees between Heaven and earth, without being tended or watered, only those of our Sakya lineage have received such abundant blessings! How could this not be taken as proof? We are solitary, empty, gentle, and weak, unable to sustain ourselves independently. “Solitary” means dwelling alone, far from relatives, and not engaging in worldly business. “Empty” means living through the support of donors and neither plowing deeply nor laboring at cultivation. “Gentle” means settling the mind into profound stillness and observing the internal regulations. “Weak” means preserving the true nature and not competing over gain or loss. Since we are not yet sages, we must not forget the Buddha’s teaching: When one bends low and maintains proper outward deportment, the Sangha’s garden flourishes. How could anyone dare call himself a monastic while seizing what is in another’s hands? Thus, in every hour and every moment of our peaceful ease, we are embraced by the grace and virtue of the holy sovereign. Even Heaven’s shelter and Earth’s support cannot fully serve as analogies for it. We must resolutely seek the Dharma and remain bound to the Way throughout our lives. Even if our bodies were shattered and our lives lost, it would not suffice to repay one part in ten thousand of this kindness. How, then, could we remain leisurely and indolent, falling into decline, idly passing the days and becoming immersed in sensual pleasures? Therefore, on the holy sovereign’s festival, offerings and prostrations should be performed in accordance with the Dharma, and sutras should be chanted to repay the sovereign’s kindness.

2.2 Blessing the Sovereign Early in the Morning on the Principal Day of the Festival

On the appointed festival day, during the morning service, incense is lit; the attendant holds incense and waits; the full complement of Dharma instruments—the tang, small bells, and chime—is prepared; and the entire assembly gathers. The abbot offers incense and places it in the censer. The karmadana, who is in charge of the bell, chants the following hymn:

Incense burns fragrantly in the golden censer,

Its fragrant smoke permeates all throughout the ten directions.

With sincere hearts, we make offerings to the Dharma King,

Praying to bless our sovereign with longevity,

That the earth remain firm, the heavens steadfast, and all abide in peace and harmony.

Namo Canopy of Fragrant Clouds Bodhisattva Mahasattva. (3 times)

After completing the hymn, the assembly together recites the Dharani of the Holy Immeasurable Life and Radiant Light three times.

The karmadana intones: “Medicine Master Tathagata”; the assembly responds in unison: “Medicine Master Tathagata.”

The Assembly Supervisor chants: “May the Dharma King live ten thousand years”; the entire assembly loudly recites: “Medicine Buddha Tathagata.”

The Karmadana chants: “May the Dharma King live ten thousand years”; the entire assembly together loudly recites: “Medicine Buddha Tathagata.”

The Abbot intones the memorial; the Karmadana kneels behind or beside him and reads it aloud. The memorial says:

The Greatly Awakened World-Honored One,

Manifested responsively in the Western Land,

His mind all-embracing like empty space,

His virtue encompassing worlds numerous as grains of sand,

Within one of the four continents,

In the land of Jambudvipa in the South.

…country, …province, …prefecture, …district, …monastery.

The śramana named…

Today, the … day of the … month of the … year, on the sacred festival at this auspicious hour, the Sangha is presently assembled in the Great Hero Jeweled Hall (the main shrine hall), reverently chanting sutras and mantras and extolling the august names and sacred titles, praying for the blessing of great grace. We now pray on behalf of the sacred sovereign: May he live ten thousand years, ten thousand years, ten thousand times ten thousand years…

The Karmadana continues reading:

We pray that the nation may prosper and the people be at peace, that peace may prevail throughout the realm, and that all civil and military officials may be imbued with gracious virtue and attain eminent rank and honor. We further pray that the rains may be timely and the winds favorable, that the grain harvests may be abundant, that the eight directions may praise the sovereign’s Way, and that all within the four seas may rejoice in the transforming influence of his wondrous governance. We reverently ask the great assembly to recite together: Vajra Infinite Life, Bodhisattva Mahasattva Benevolent King, Protector of the Nation.

Next, chant the Surangama Sutra.

Namo Buddhas and Bodhisattvas of the Surangama Assembly (three times). After completing the five sections, next recite the Great Compassion Mantra, ten other mantras, and the Prajnaparamita; afterward recite: “The pure assembly presently gathered above…”

Next, praise the Medicine Buddha:

The Medicine Buddha sends forth radiant light,

Brilliant, majestic, and beyond all measure;

His many vows and practices benefit sentient beings,

Ever wishing that they attain peace and fulfillment.

Namo Medicine Master Vaidurya Light King Buddha of the Eastern World.

Rise and circumambulate the Buddha while reciting together: Namo Medicine Master Vaidurya Light Tathagata. (After three circuits, the officiant chants and the great assembly bows in homage):

Namo Medicine Master Vaidurya Light Tathagata (twelve bows)

Namo Bodhisattva Sunlight Universally Shining

Namo Bodhisattva Moonlight Universally Shining

Namo Buddhas and Bodhisattvas of the Medicine Master Ocean-Wide Assembly (one bow for each title).

The great assembly proceeds to the Patriarch Hall, makes a formal declaration of gratitude, bows in homage, and so forth. On this day, the members of the assembly take turns chanting and reciting, make the midday offering, take the formal communal meal in the dining hall, practice walking meditation while reciting the Buddha’s name, and so forth.

The Record of the Verification of Meaning states: The Pure Rules are like a crown worn upon the head; offering blessings for the sovereign means respectfully complying with the Buddha’s teaching and repaying the kindness of the nation. According to the Mahayana Sutra of Contemplation on the Mind-Ground of Original Births, the Buddha taught that the kindness of the nation comprises ten virtues. We members of the Sangha now dwell together in an age of peace and flourishing governance and are fortunate to encounter an enlightened sovereign.

The sovereign’s kindness shines like the sun and moon, and his virtue shelters and sustains like heaven and earth. In general, the sovereign possesses ten beneficent virtues that must be upheld: 1) He reveres the Three Jewels and obeys the Buddha’s charge entrusted to the sovereign. 2) He establishes monasteries and temples as places of practice that preserve the Buddha-Dharma. 3) He prints and publishes the scriptural canon so that the Buddha-Dharma may endure. 4) He grants ordination certificates to members of the Sangha so they may study without interruption. 5) He exempts the Sangha from the civil registers so that leaving the household life may be facilitated. 6) He provides protectors to dignify and safeguard monasteries. 7) He posthumously honors virtuous masters of old and esteems

genuine practitioners. 8) Each year, he bestows money, flowers, fruits, incense, and lamps as offerings to the Buddha, thereby creating merit that endures. 9) He establishes separate official posts for the Sangha so that laypeople do not falsely assume the name of monastics. 10) He does not compel monastics to perform forced labor but allows them to practice the Way in peace.

Such are the sovereign’s ten beneficent virtues; they must be understood so that they may be repaid appropriately and justly.

The Buddha taught: With my five eyes, I clearly see and know that sovereigns of the three times attain kingship in this life because, in past lives, they drew near to and served five hundred Buddhas. Therefore, sages and arhats aspire to be born in the realms of such sovereigns so that they may perform many beneficial deeds. I dispatch five immensely powerful bodhisattvas, five great beings, and five thousand kings and great ministers to support and protect the sovereigns of those lands. Therefore, I now entrust the Three Jewels to the sovereigns, and so forth. As clearly stated in the Mahaparinirvana Sutra and other sutras, the Buddha instructed sovereigns to serve as external protectors; hence this is presented at the beginning.

2.3 Holding the Ceremony for the Completion of the Sovereign’s Blessing Observance

The great assembly should chant sutras and bow in repentance before the august names in order to eliminate former karma, praying that every household may dwell in peace and happiness and that the sovereign may live long, so that the common people may receive blessings as inexhaustible as the ocean. It is like a lion in its cave giving birth to lion cubs and then emerging from the mountain cave: goodness and auspicious signs spread throughout the nine regions, and grasses, trees, and insects all receive and enjoy the sovereign’s benevolence. Bowing one’s head in homage is inconceivable. Just as the stars encircle the bright moon, so now the wondrous Dharma of the ultimate true meaning is proclaimed.

The wondrous merit of offering blessings for longevity,

And all its supreme merit, I dedicate in prayer:

May all beings burdened by profound karma

Soon be born in the Western Pure Land.

All Buddhas throughout the ten directions and three times,

All Bodhisattvas Mahasattvas,

Mahaprajnaparamita.

Next: the rite for wishing longevity to the Empress (this section is omitted because it is no longer appropriate today).

2.4 Rite for Receiving an Imperial Edict

A solemn ceremony should be held to welcome the imperial edict. The Abbot leads the Sangha five miles from the monastery to receive the edict and escort it upon the imperial carriage into the monastery, while the Sangha stands in orderly ranks on both sides. Within the monastery, a separate table is arranged on which to place the edict when it arrives. The Prajnaparamita bells and drums are sounded as the procession reaches the monastery. Everyone kneels as the palanquin passes, then rises and follows behind it. The palanquin is placed in the center of the hall, with the monastics standing on both sides.

The Guest Prefect chants: “The imperial grace and royal carriage have arrived at the monastery gate.”

The great assembly makes three bows and cries, “Ten thousand years!” After the homage is completed, the Secretary holds the written edict, kneels facing east, and reads it aloud. When finished, he returns it to the tray upon the palanquin. The Abbot approaches the palanquin, offers incense, and makes three bows; then, together with the great assembly, he makes nine bows in gratitude. The Prajnaparamita bells and drums are sounded for three rounds, and the monastics chant: Namo Amitayus Buddha.

The imperial edict is respectfully carried to the scripture repository. The Karmadana chants:

The sacred lord, a heavenly dragon, aids the world in perfect fullness;

The sovereign’s profound grace is beyond all naming.

To repay it, we preserve it within our hearts;

The Sangha, with sincere devotion,

Bears this virtue and shall never forget it!

Namo Auspicious King Bodhisattva Mahasattva (three times).

– The four monthly vegetarian observance days for protecting life—the first, eighth, fifteenth, and thirtieth days—are the four observance days dedicated to protecting living beings. In monasteries, the full-moon and new-moon days are the uposatha days, when either the precepts of the Dharmaguptaka Vinaya or the Bodhisattva Precepts of the Brahma Net Sutra are recited. They are recited alternately: in one half-month, the Bhiksu Vinaya is recited; in the next half-month, the Bodhisattva Precepts of the Brahma Net Sutra are recited.

The Record of the Verification of Meaning states: The four vegetarian observance days are intended to protect living beings. They originated in the third year of the Kaihuang era of the Sui dynasty, when an edict was issued to the people designating three months each year—the first, fifth, and ninth months—together with the four days of pure observance and the six or ten vegetarian observance days. In monasteries, ritual sites were established for prayers to prolong life, and no living creature was to be killed.

The sutras recount that the Heavenly King Vaishravana makes an annual circuit of the four great continents. During the first, fifth, and ninth months, he comes to the southern continent; therefore, killing is prohibited during these times. Yet whenever the regional military governors of the Tang dynasty assumed office, they would invariably order the people to slaughter animals for lavish banquets.

Therefore, it was decided that officials would not assume office during the first, fifth, and ninth months, so as to prohibit killing. Nowadays, it is incorrect to mistake these observances for memorial days of abstinence. On the four vegetarian observance days, sutras and mantras should be recited and repentance rites performed in obedience to the Buddha’s teaching, so that everyone may clearly understand their meaning.

Examine the substance of your mind with loving-kindness: if there are faults, correct them; if there are none, one is free of blame. Merely concerning oneself with sutra recitation is not sufficient to repay kindness! Although one may not yet understand the meaning of the recitations and invocations performed to repay kindness, observing the prescribed rites still preserves propriety.

Nowadays, to abandon them entirely and not practice them is truly an error.

According to the Continued Biographies of Eminent Monks and the Yunlou Record of Lofty Practices, the bhikshu Shi Sengyun of Baoming Monastery was attached to the reputation gained through lecturing. On the full-moon day of the fourth month, while the precepts were being recited, he addressed the assembly, saying: “The precepts are intended for people. When a person recites them, he obtains the precepts. Why trouble the entire assembly? It is enough to have one monk who understands their meaning and can thereby enlighten those who come afterward.” The assembly did not dare oppose him, and so they ceased reciting the precepts.

On the full-moon day of the seventh month, when the assembly performed the pravarana ceremony, Yun was suddenly absent. Four masters went in search of him and found him in a desolate cemetery, his body covered in blood. When they asked the reason, he told them: “An immensely powerful man wielding a long sword loudly demanded of me, ‘What sort of person are you?

You dare abandon the recitation of the precepts and falsely claim to understand their meaning!’ He then pressed the blade against my body, causing unbearable, piercing pain.” Thereupon, they brought him back to the monastery. For ten years he earnestly sought repentance and, with utmost sincerity and devotion, followed the prescribed rite for reciting the precepts. When he was about to die, an extraordinary fragrance pervaded the room, and he then passed away peacefully.

This occurred during the Xianjia era, and the event has ever since been recounted by people.

Master Yunqi Lianchi said: “In the present age, although the sutras and treatises remain, the Vinaya is treated lightly. Two thousand years later, people will be even less willing to recite the precepts once every half-month. I cannot fathom it! The prosperity, decline, and degeneration of monasteries and their inhabitants arise from lack of faith. The karmic retribution manifested in the case of Master Sengyun provides clear evidence. May you reflect upon it.”

End of Volume One.