宇 如來降誕
Buddha's Birth
將屆誕期。堂司行者。率眾財具數送櫃頭。營供養。此古法也。在住持講行。維那命書記製右語。僉疏。並與聖節同。庫司預令行者。嚴設毗藍園。內安太子銅像。煎香湯安二小杓。盆內。大佛前敷陳供養。至日粥罷。住持陞座。祝香提綱。回向結座。下座云。(大眾各具威儀。詣大佛殿浴佛諷經)大眾同到殿。住持上香三拜。不収具。進前獻湯進食。侍者下竟。復位三拜。上香下嚫。點茶三拜収具。鳴鈸。維那揖香。住持上香。侍者捧合。兩班無借香問訊。出班了。大眾同禮三拜。詳為 聖節禮同。
As the Buddha's birthday approaches, the temple administrator sends workers to collect donations from the community and deliver them to the office to fund offerings. This is an ancient tradition. The abbot leads the ceremony, while the chief monk asks the secretary to compose congratulatory messages and circulate a petition, following the same protocol as for the Emperor's birthday. The temple office directs workers to set up a Lumbini Garden scene, placing a bronze statue of the Buddha-to-be inside, along with two small ladles in a bowl of fragrant scented water. This is offered before the main Buddha statue. On the day itself, after the morning meal, the abbot ascends the high seat, offers incense, outlines the ceremony's purpose, dedicates the merit, and concludes. Descending, he says: (Everyone should maintain proper deportment and proceed to the Great Buddha Hall to bathe the Buddha and chant sutras.) The community gathers in the hall. The abbot offers incense and bows three times. Without putting away his sitting cloth, he steps forward to offer tea and food. After the attendant sets these down, he returns to his spot and bows three more times. He then offers incense, gives donations, serves tea again, and bows three more times before collecting his cloth. Cymbals sound. The chief monk gestures for incense; the abbot offers it, with an attendant holding the incense box. The two assemblies do not offer mutual greetings of incense. After the formal salutation, the entire community bows three times together. The details follow the same pattern as the Imperial Birthday ceremony.
如或住持它緣。首座偏位跪爐。聖僧侍者堂司庫子。跪進手爐香合。方丈侍者亦得(為法重也。古宿公論。唯佛祖忌。當首座代住持。為傳法故聖節知事代。為山門也。大慧笑翁皆行之。維那白佛。宣疏了。舉浴佛偈。行道。浴佛。須備銅錢。浴佛將畢。舉楞嚴會上。起呪。諷了。回向云。上來諷經功德。回向真如實際。莊嚴無上佛果菩提。四恩等報。三有齊資。十方三世云云)。
If the abbot is occupied with other matters, the head monk (shouzuo) may kneel and hold the incense burner in the formal position. The holy monk attendant, the hall overseer, and the storage keeper will kneel and present the hand-held burner and incense box. The abbot's attendant may also assist if needed. (This is to honor the Dharma. According to ancient masters, on the anniversary of the Buddha’s Parinirvana, the head monk may represent the abbot to transmit the Dharma. On imperial festivals, the temple administrator may do so on behalf of the monastery. Both Dahui and Xiaoweng practiced this. The rector (weina) will then address the Buddha formally. After reciting the dedication text, they chant the verses for bathing the Buddha, proceed with the circumambulation, and bathe the Buddha offering copper coins. When the bathing ritual is nearly complete, they begin chanting the Shurangama Assembly Mantra. After reciting it, they make the dedication: "The merit gained from reciting these sutras is dedicated to the true and actual reality, to adorn the unsurpassed fruit of Buddhahood. May we repay the four kinds of kindness, and raise all three realms of existence. May all beings in the ten directions and three times...")
陞座回向(某州某寺。四月初八日。恭遇本師釋迦如來大和尚。降誕之辰。比丘眾。率長財入常住。營備香羞。以伸供養。遺教遠孫 比丘某甲。升于此座。舉唱宗乘。所集殊勳。上酬 慈蔭者)。
Ascending the Seat and Transferring Merit
*(At a certain monastery in a certain province, on the eighth day of the fourth lunar month, we humbly encounter the birth anniversary of our great teacher, Shakyamuni Buddha. The monks, together with lay patrons, have come to the temple, preparing incense and offerings to express their devotion. As a distant descendant of his teachings, I, a monk named So-and-so, now ascend this seat to proclaim the essential teachings. May the merits gathered here be offered above, in gratitude for his compassionate protection.)*
白佛偈(一月在天。影涵眾水。一佛出世。各坐一花。白毫舒而三界明。甘露洒而四生潤)。
Buddha Verse(The moon is reflected in all waters. When a Buddha appears, each sits upon a flower. His white hair shines, illuminating the three realms; His nectar rains, moistening all living beings.)
浴佛偈(我今灌沐諸如來。淨智莊嚴功德聚。五濁眾生令離垢。同證如來淨法身)。
Bathing the Buddha Verse
(I now anoint the Tathagatas' forms. Their wisdom, pure and vast, adornments of great virtue. May beings in this corrupt age be cleansed of filth, And together realize the Tathagata's pure Dharmakaya.)
右語 兜率天宮不起于座。而常說是法。毗藍園內乘大願輪。而示現受生。顧上下與四維。稱獨尊於三界。芳流像教。屬此日之誕彌。瑞湧龍淵。効當年之灌沐。本師釋迦如來大和尚。伏願。運甚深之智海。回既倒之狂瀾。盛世光明。上延聖主無疆壽。微塵含識。同證如來淨法身。謹疏。
In the Palace of the Tusita Heaven, without rising from his seat, he constantly proclaimed this Dharma. Within the Sala Grove, riding the great wheel of vows, he manifested birth and took on human form. Looking to all directions—above, below, and the four quarters—he is praised as the uniquely honored one in the three realms. His fragrant teachings flow through the ages, gracing this day of his nativity. Auspicious waters spring from the Dragon's Pool, mirroring the ancient baptism. To our original teacher, the greatly enlightened Lord Shakyamuni Tathagata:
We humbly pray: May the profound ocean of wisdom be unleashed, turning back the raging tides of confusion. In this glorious age of peace and flourishing, may the holy sovereign's boundless long life be extended above. May every sentient being, down to the tiniest dust mote, realize the pure Dharma-body of the Tathagata. Thus respectfully offered.