Zen monastic regulations

Baizhang established a set of guidelines for Zen communities, and no one has ever been able to overthrow them. Now you should just follow these guidelines conscientiously and take the lead in observing them yourself and do not violate Baizhang's elegant standards. Then everyone in your congregation will follow them too.

-Yuanwu (1063–1135), Zen Letters

Dehui chose as his major sources for this compilation three older works: Zongze’s Chongning Monastic Regulations, Weimian’s Xianshun Regulations, and Yixian’s Zhida Regulations.

Some relevant passages:

When any practitioner steals another’s possessions, or fights with others, or transgresses by drinking alcohol or engaging in sexual intercourse, he must be quickly separated from other practitioners and expelled from the temple community, because if he were allowed instead to stay on the community would eventually become corrupt.

When ordaining one is supposed to comply and repeat (your favorite zen master did it too no matter what some pseudomystic folk around here like ewk say about all this, ignoring the historical facts! :D)

I take refuge in the Buddha,

I take refuge in the Dharma,

I take refuge in the Sangha.

I take refuge in the Buddha, the most honorable, highest being

I take refuge in the Dharma, the most honorable that transcends the profane.

I take refuge in the Sangha, the most honorable among all human assemblies.

...

Takes five precepts:

As long as I live

I will not commit an act of killing,

I will not commit an act of stealing,

I will not commit an act of sexual indulgence,

I will not commit an act of lying,

I will not commit an act of becoming intoxicated

...

The ordination master says: O sons of good families, the foregoing set of five rules is the initial step to enter the path of enlightenment and the foremost cause to escape from the cycle of the threefold evil courses of life. Next, you must accept the ten rules of the precepts prescribed for aspiring novices

...

Monetary and sexual matters are a far more serious cause of misfortunes than poisonous snakes. [haha] One should most carefully stay away from them. It is important for Buddhist practitioners to think of sentient beings with compassion, just as one might feel about one’s infant child

...

If a renowned practitioner from one of the major monastic establishments wishes to obtain residency, he is obliged to express his intent clearly along with the formal statement. The abbot must consider whether individual quarters are available for him, or if there is a vacant seat to practice zazen in the practice hall appropriate for his rank and agreeable with the higher- and lower-ranking members. If these matters are evaluated and resolved affirmatively, [the abbot] accepts the request in question.

The following day, the ranking practitioner attends a tea reception 🍵 and says:

I, So-and-so, have come here especially to take refuge, because the matter of life and death is of prime importance.

Enjoy!

Submitted January 05, 2019 at 06:57PM by ZaoPing http://bit.ly/2VvHdP3