In general, a practitioner who wishes to have special instruction from the abbot must first speak to the assistant official, who will convey his wish to the master, “So-and-so practitioner wishes to visit the abbot’s office (fangzhang) for special instruction this evening.” If [the abbot] grants the request, the practitioner comes to the assistant’s office after evening medi- tation and waits for the the assistant monk to prepare incense and candle- light and escort him to the abbot. With a bow, the practitioner burns incense, performs nine prostrations with fully opened sitting cloth (dazhanjiubai), and folding up the sitting cloth, steps forward and says:
As I, So-and-so, regard the matter of life and death of primary importance and am concerned with the swiftness of transformation, I earnestly request the venerable master in his compassion to grant me special instruction with words of expediency.
The practitioner is obliged to stand with solemn respect at the master’s side and listen to his words intently. When it is over, he steps forward to burn incense and once again performs nine prostrations with fully opened sitting cloth. This is called the propriety of “giving thanks for causes and conditions” (xieyinyuan). If the full formality is excused, he should perform prostrations with unopened sitting cloth. The practitioner is also obliged to drop in at the assistant official’s office to thank him.
from Baizhang's monastic code
Submitted June 17, 2017 at 09:53PM by KeyserSozen http://ift.tt/2scUYWr
No comments:
Post a Comment