Ancient Daily Routine

Ancient daily routine

Noble sons who entered the sāsana with faith, should wake up before dawn, brush teeth, sweep the courtyard and path ways, filter water, sit at a quiet place and spend three hours (72 minitues of present day clock) contemplating on morality and when the gong is sounded, arrive at the stūpa comtemplating “satan hatthi satan assāö and perform necessary duties, make whatever offerings, contemplate on the ninefold virtues of the Buddha such as “itipiso bhagavā” and lay the siting cloth and bow down with a concentrated mind, rise up all at once at an agreed time measured by means of the shadow, check almanac and express exact date after the parinibbāna of the Buddha.

Tassa pāsādikan hoti pattacīvara dhārauan, Pabbajjā saphalā tassa yassa sīlan sunimmalan

Contemplating on the above, take bowl and robe in hand and leave for the village, behind and not too close to the teacher/preceptor, don the robes at the appointed place and enter the village. While in the village, do not pay attention to women, men, elephants, horses, vehecles and people on foot. Go about begging for alms following the disciplinary precepts and return to the vihāra while concentrating on the selected object of meditation. Hang up the robes, prepare the seats, store excess food, wash the feet, keep water, lay the dehati, offer food from your bowl and if the others do not accept give at least a small spoonful of rice, reflect aloud according to the disciplinary precepts and partake of the food. At the end of the meal collect and wash the bowls of bhikkhus according to age, perform any other duties for the teachers, pay respects to the teachers and the Buddha, retire to a quiet place and do past reflection, practice loving kindness meditation for an hour, read books, clarify any points from the teachers, memorise what is necessary, practice vipassanā according to individually selected objects and sweep terraces one hour before nightfall.

Those who are assigned for the duty should set up fires, offer lamps, prepare seat for Dhamma desanā, invite the preacher, wash his feet, take seats in order, listen to Dhamma talks, chant pāritta, perform duties towards the teachers, inquire and clarify any doubtful matters and if there are any elders in the place you sleep, attend to their needs, pay respects to them, seek permission, read any books to be learnt, sit on the bed and reflect on the day’s consumption, meditate on the four objects of meditation and go to sleep with the intention of waking up before dawn. Wake up in the morning reflect on consumption, comtemplate on the four objects of meditation, chant the Ratana sutta, exude loving kindness and perform assigned duties before dawn. Contemplate twice a day on Mettā Sutta, the sources of emotion, Dasa Dhamma Sutta, and point out other’s faults to prevent them from birth in hell, and respect the Buddha by following the proper practice. As given in the following stanza;

Yo pana bhikkhu Dhammānu Dhammapatipanno viharati samīcipatipanno anudhammacāri so tathāgatan sakkaroti garukaroti māneti pūpe ti paramayā pūjāya patipatti pūjāya

Punish the wrong doers by making them spread four measures of sand in the vihāra terrace. Those who follow the proper daily routine in being capable of activities such as sewing/darning the robes of fellow bhikkhus, burning bowls and acting with honesty,obedience to elders, softness and acting like a door mat with no conceit, while being satisfied with whatever quantity of the four requisites received and not accepting anything more than the twelve specified items and having calm faculties, intelligence and no indiscipline in word and body with no attachment to people or relatives, not commiting even a minor unwholesome action in paying respect by proper practice will enjoy the supramundane pleasures.

This daily routine was included in this book not because everyone can follow them but in order to get whatever possible advice. This is not a compulsory daily routine for all bhikkhūs in the Bhuddha sāsana, but one followed by bhikkhūs at a vihāra where a large number of bhikkhūs lived. It is not possible to follow this at a place where only one or two bhikkhus are present. The daily routine is now refered to as the timetable. It is very useful to have a timetable and get accustomed to follow it. This will avoid forgetting work. Therefore, all bhikkhūs must prepare a timetable, to suit the area, vihāra, period and the enviorenment in which you live and act accordingly. The daily routine of all bhikkhūs should include, waking up before dawn, paying respects to the triple gem two or three times a day, reflection, performing duties and meditation.

Sometimes it may be considered impossible to act according to this sutta, as Buddha is not amongst the living at present. We shoud not consider that the teacher is not present now. Tathāgata declared to the Ven. Ananda the following.

Tumhākan panānada, evamassa: atītasatthukan pāvacanan natthī no satthāti. Na kho panānada, evan daIIhabban yo vo Ananda mayā dhammo ca vinayo ca desito paIIatto so mamaccayena vo satthā.

(Maha parinibbāna sutta)

Herein the Tathāgata considered the Dhamma and vinaya charter taught by Him, to be His teacher. Therefore, it must be considered that the teacher exists as long as the dhamma and enacted vinaya exists in the world.