The Chapter on the Restoration Rite
Toh 1-2
Degé Kangyur, vol. 1 (’dul ba, ka), folios 131.a–221.b
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Table of Contents
Summary
The Chapter on the Restoration Rite is the second of The Chapters on Monastic Discipline’s seventeen chapters. In it, the Buddha describes a seated yoga, formal protocols, and a rite of restoration that can be observed on the upavasatha (or poṣadha) holiday. After explaining how monks should practice seated yoga, the Buddha consents first to the building of small clusters of meditation residences and later to gradually larger settlements that come to include multistoried meditation halls with scented shrine rooms and rooftop verandas. This chapter also explains how all monks at a monastery must gather fortnightly in the hall or in a place that has been specially demarcated for such purposes within the monastery site’s larger boundary. There, they observe the poṣadha or “restoration rite” by listening to The Prātimokṣa Sūtra recitation and making the appropriate amends for their offenses.
The present chapter together with The Chapter on Lifting Restrictions and The Chapter on the Rains present the “Three Rites” that are considered central to monastic common living: the Rite of Restoration, the Rite of Lifting Restrictions, and the Rite of Pledging to Settle for the Rains. The regular observance of the “Three Rites” at an officially demarcated monastic site is considered a crucial component in ensuring the integrity of the monastics living there and nearby.
Acknowledgements
This text was translated from Tibetan and checked against the Sanskrit by Robert Miller. Under Dr. Haiyan Hu-von Hinüber’s direction, Maurice Ozaine read a draft of the English translation against Dr. Hu-von Hinüber’s German translation which accompanies her extensive study of the present chapter. Ven. Hejung Seok offered useful comments on the term poṣadha and Pāṇini’s grammar. Matthew Wuethrich served as style and editorial consultant to the translator. Special thanks are due to Dr. Shayne Clarke for the many suggestions and corrections he made to an early draft of the introduction. Thanks also to the 84000 Vinaya team for help in translating key technical terms.
The translation was completed under the patronage and supervision of 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha. Nathaniel Rich and John Canti edited the translation and the introduction, and Ven. Konchog Norbu copyedited the text. Sameer Dhingra was in charge of the digital publication process.
The generous sponsorship of Dakki and Lanita, which helped make the work on this translation possible, is most gratefully acknowledged.
Text Body
The Chapter on the Restoration Rite
Bibliography
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