欽遇萬壽聖節啟建金剛無量壽道場一月日既報洪恩禮加嚴肅僧員不許給假維那預令堂司行者覆庫司備榜紙疏紙仍預令詣書記寮行禮稟云(啟建聖節請製疏語如書記缺或西班耆舊或維那自製不則用現成疏語見後)製畢書疏維那帶行僕捧盤袱上方丈行禮請住持僉疏畢行者就覆住持來早啟建維那仍備榜張于山門之右(榜疏並用黃紙書名別用紅紙)製簿差僧上殿簿中並書雙字名先住持次兩班僧眾依其戒次量眾多少具寫差單排定日分周而復始至日各整威儀候鳴大鐘上殿至晚鳴大鐘下殿如有官員入山拈香鳴鐘集眾諷經祝讚是日住持若不升座只就大殿行祝讚禮若升座侍者先一日令堂司行者齋後僧堂前掛上堂牌仍覆兩班云(來早方丈和尚升座)次日五更開靜後鳴各處板三下眾坐堂待頭首入堂鳴僧堂鐘三下鳴大鐘後鳴法鼓住持出廳坐侍者行者隨出問訊分列側立燒香侍者即往法座左側立候眾入皷轉第二通西班頭首出堂領大眾入法堂朝東序問訊至座前就西序立大眾鴈列于後參頭領眾行者出堂先列庫廳下對立亦候鼓轉第二通東班知事出庫廳眾行者問訊隨後入法堂朝西序問訊至座前就東序立行者退列于後留侍者位兩序相對略問訊侍者即回茶堂請住持住持候鼓轉三通起轎侍者後行至法座前冬月則去帽大眾亦去帽皆望塵問訊住持和南登座侍者側邊隨上法座以香合盖盛片香捧上住持拈香祝壽畢侍者接香以雙手插爐中右手拈從香略問訊侍者下座住持趺坐侍者同事俱叉手出班小者先引過西近座前列一行對住持問訊畢燒香侍者引班合掌歸位東序後立次首座領同事叉手出班列香椅裏對住持問訊大眾同問訊畢首座引班合掌復位略問訊東序接問訊次知事俱叉手出班副寺先引至西邊列香椅裏對住持問訊眾行者隨問訊畢都寺引班合掌復位略問訊西序接問訊次東堂名德西堂出班列近座前對住持問訊畢侍者登座右手捧香合左手上香轉身向住持問訊(謂之代眾請法)退立座側住持執拂子揖眾講演(云云)畢座上回向云(其月某日欽遇萬壽聖節某寺預於某月某日啟建金剛無量壽道場一月日逐日輪僧上殿披閱經文今辰開啟住持臣僧某陞于此座講演妙義所集洪因端為祝延聖壽萬安)結座畢白云(大眾具威儀詣大佛殿啟建萬壽聖節謹白)即鳴殿鐘住持領眾到殿上依次立定住持先燒香點茶上首知事遞上侍者下茶次行者鳴䟦維那轉身爐前面外立揖香侍者捧香合住持上香次兩序叉手依次兩兩對出朝佛問訊上香畢復相朝轉身問訊歸位後東堂大西堂出班燒香歸位訖維那最後轉身問訊燒香歸位立首座舉南無無量壽佛眾和同展三拜(為訢佛祝壽也)畢眾收具住持不收具就跪知客跪進提爐侍者跪進香合住持燒香維那宣疏白佛云(王中之王位列百王之上聖中之聖道逾千聖之前仰冀洪慈俯垂昭鑑今辰啟建萬壽聖節有疏云云)疏式見後維那宣疏畢知客跪接提爐行者收具首座舉楞嚴呪行道呪畢首座舉無量壽佛號維那回向云(仰冀洪慈再垂昭鑒啟建萬壽聖節諷演秘章稱揚聖號所集洪因端為祝延今上皇帝聖躬眾和萬歲萬歲萬萬歲祝陪天算無量壽佛十方三世一切諸佛一切云云)滿散。

# Ritual for the Emperor's Birthday Celebration

When the Emperor's birthday arrives, a one-month Diamond and Infinite Life Dharma Assembly is established. To express profound gratitude for the imperial grace, the ceremony must be conducted with dignity and strictness. Monks are not permitted leave. The coordinator must instruct the temple attendant to prepare announcements and prayer paper, as well as notify the scriptorium to pay respects and report.

(For the opening ceremony, if the imperial birthday prayer text needs to be composed: if the secretary is absent, either a senior elder or the coordinator may compose it; otherwise, use a ready-made prayer text (see later section).)

After the prayer text is written, the coordinator, accompanied by an attendant carrying a tray with cloth, visits the abbot's quarters to request his signature. After the abbot signs, the attendant informs him that the ceremony will begin the next morning. The coordinator then displays the announcement board to the right of the main gate.

(Both the announcement and prayer text should be written on yellow paper; names separately on red paper.)

A register is prepared to assign monks for the main hall service. The register lists both first and last names. First comes the abbot, then the two monastic groups in order of seniority. Based on the number of monks, duty assignments are made, with days scheduled in rotation. When one cycle completes, another begins.

On the assigned day, each monk must maintain dignified deportment and await the great bell to enter the main hall. At dusk, the great bell signals departure. If an official enters the mountain to offer incense, the bell is rung to assemble the congregation for scripture chanting and prayers of praise.

If the abbot does not give a sermon that day, the prayer ceremony is conducted directly in the main hall. If he does give a sermon, the attendant must, one day before, instruct the temple attendant to hang the sermon notice board in the meditation hall after the noon meal, and inform both monastic groups:

(Tomorrow morning the abbot will give a sermon.)

The next day, after the fifth watch and the liberation bell, strike each board three times. The congregation sits in the meditation hall, waiting for the senior monks to enter. Strike the hall bell three times. After the great bell sounds, beat the Dharma drum. The abbot enters the hall and sits. Attendants and servers follow, bow, and stand to either side.

The incense attendant immediately goes to the left side of the Dharma seat, awaiting the congregation's entry as the drum sounds a second round. The western senior monks leave the hall, leading the congregation into the Dharma hall. They bow toward the eastern section, approach the seat, and stand in the western section. The congregation stands in orderly rows behind.

The prayer leader leads the servers out of the hall. They first line up beneath the office, facing each other. As the drum sounds a second round, the eastern administrators exit the office. The servers bow to them, then follow them into the Dharma hall. They bow toward the western section, approach the seat, and stand in the eastern section. The servers withdraw to the rear, leaving space for the attendant.

The two sections bow briefly to each other. The attendant then returns to the abbot's room to invite him. The abbot waits for the third drum roll, then rises into his sedan chair. The attendant follows behind. They arrive at the Dharma seat. In winter, caps are removed; the congregation also removes caps. All bow as if to distant dust. The abbot returns the greeting (Anjali Mudra) and ascends the seat. The attendant climbs the side of the Dharma seat, presenting an incense container with an incense chip. The abbot picks up the incense and offers it for the Emperor's long life. The attendant then receives the incense, places it in the censer with both hands, and takes additional incense with the right hand, bowing briefly. The attendant descends from the seat.

The abbot sits in full lotus. The attendant and fellow workers, with hands clasped, step out of line. The junior monks lead first, crossing to the western side near the seat, forming a line in front of it. They bow to the abbot. After the incense attendant leads them, they join palms and return to the eastern position, standing behind. Next, the head monk leads fellow workers, with hands clasped, stepping out of line. They line up before the incense chair, facing the abbot, and bow. The congregation also bows together. The head monk leads, joining palms and returning to position, bowing briefly. The eastern sect returns the bow.

Next, the administrators, with hands clasped, step out of line. The vice-abbot leads first to the western side, lining up before the incense chair, facing the abbot and bowing. All servers follow in bowing. Then the chief administrator leads, joining palms and returning to position, bowing briefly. The western sect returns the bow.

Next, the eastern and western venerable elders step forward, lining up near the seat, facing the abbot and bowing. The attendant then ascends the seat, raises the incense container with the right hand, places incense with the left, and turns to bow to the abbot.

(This is called "representing the congregation to request the Dharma.")

The attendant withdraws to stand beside the seat. The abbot takes the fly whisk, greets the congregation, and begins the sermon.

((The sermon content proceeds.))

After the sermon concludes, the abbot on the seat dedicates the merit:

("On this day of [month, day], encountering the Emperor's birthday, this temple, prior on [month, day], established the Diamond and Infinite Life Dharma Assembly for one month. Each day monks are assigned to the main hall to recite scriptures. Today the ceremony begins. The humble monk [name], the abbot, ascends this seat to expound the sublime meaning. The vast merit thus accumulated is solely for the purpose of extending the Emperor's sacred life to ten thousand years of peace.")

After concluding the sermon, the abbot announces:

("Let the congregation, with dignified deportment, proceed to the great Buddha hall to begin the Emperor's birthday ceremony. This is respectfully announced.")

Immediately, the main hall bell rings. The abbot leads the congregation into the hall, standing in order. The abbot first offers incense and tea. The senior administrator passes it to the attendant, who then serves tea. The server then strikes the wooden fish. The coordinator turns and stands facing outward before the censer, bowing. The incense attendant presents the incense container. The abbot offers incense. Then the two monastic groups, with hands clasped, proceed in pairs, two by two, to bow before the Buddha. After offering incense, they bow, turn to one another, and return to position.

After the eastern and western venerable elders step forward to offer incense and return to position, the coordinator, as the final act, turns, bows, offers incense, and returns to position to stand. The head monk initiates the recitation: "Homage to the Infinite Life Buddha." The congregation joins in response, performing three full prostrations.

(This is to petition the Buddha for the Emperor's long life.)

After the prostrations, the congregation collects their implements. The abbot does not collect his but remains kneeling. The guest master kneels and presents the hand-held censer. The attendant kneels and presents the incense container. The abbot offers incense. The coordinator reads the prayer text, addressing the Buddha:

("King among kings, ranked above all kings; Holy among holy ones, the Way surpasses all before. Humbly relying on vast compassion, may You look down with clear mirror. Today begins the Emperor's birthday ceremony. A prayer text is presented: (as follows).")

(The prayer text format appears later.)

After the coordinator finishes reading the prayer text, the guest master kneels to receive the hand-held censer. The server collects the implements. The head monk leads the chanting of the Surangama Dharani while circumambulating. After the recitation, the head monk leads the chanting of the Infinite Life Buddha's name. The coordinator makes the dedication:

("Humbly relying on vast compassion, may You again shine with clear mirror. At the opening of the Emperor's birthday ceremony, we have chanted secret stanzas and praised the holy name. The vast merit thus accumulated is solely for the purpose of extending our current Emperor's sacred life...")

(The congregation responds: "Ten thousand years, ten thousand years, ten thousand times ten thousand years.")

"...May it increase Heaven's lifespan. Infinite Life Buddha. The ten directions and three times, all Buddhas, all beings, all..." (conclusion.)

Completion of the assembly.