ANINTRODUCTION TO ZEN BUDDHISM
sumptuousdinner,theythinkofthosedepartedspiritsandother
beingswhoareUvinginthisandotherworlds,andeachtaking
outaboutsevengrainsofricefromhisp>ortionoffersthemtothe
unseen.WTiileeatingperfectquietudeprevails; thedishesare
handlednoiselessly,nowordisuttered,noconversationgoeson,
andalltheirdesiresareindicatedbyfoldingandrubbingtheir
hands.Eatingisaseriousaffairwiththem.Whenanotherbowl
ofriceiswanted,themonkholdsouthisfoldinghands,thewaiter
noticesitandsitswiththericereceptaclebeforethehungryone
;
thelattertakesuphisbowl,lightlyp)asseshishandaroundthe
bottom to wpe offwhatever dirt mayhave attached itself
andbelikelytosoilthehandofthewaiter.VVTiilethebowlis
beingfilled,theeaterkeepshishandsfolded;therubbingofhis
palmsagainsteachothershowsthatthewaiterhasputenough
riceorsoupinhisbowl.
Theruleisthateachmonkshouldeatupallthatisserved
him,"gatheringupthefragmentsthatremain";forthatistheir
religion.Afterathirdorfourthhelpingofrice,themealcomes
toanend.Theleaderclapsthewoodenblocksandthewaiters
bringhotwater;eachmonkfillshislargestbowlwithitandinit
alltheotherbowlsareneatlywashedandwip>edwiththetiny
napkinwhichiscarriedbyhim.Thenawoodenpailgoesround
toreceivetheslop;eachmonkgathersuphisdishesandwrap*
themuponcemore;thetablesarenowemptyasbeforeexcept
forthegrainsofricethathadbeenofferedatthebeginningofthe
meal tothein\'isiblebeings. Thewoodenblocks areclapped
againandthemonksleavetheroominthesamequietandorderly
processionastheyentered.
Theindustryofthemonksisproverbial.WTienthedayisnot
setforstudyathome,theyaregenerallyseensoonafterbreakfast,
abouthalfpastfiveinsummerandhalfpastsixinwinter,outin
themonasterygroundsortillingthefarmattachedtotheZendo,
Later,certaingroupsofthemgointotheneighbouringvillages
tobegforrice.Theykeepthemonastery,insideandoutside,in
perfectorder.Whenwesay,"ThisislikeaZentemple,"itmeans
thattheplaceiskeptintheneatestpossibleorder. Commonly
attachedtoaZendoaresomepatronswhosehomesarevisited
regularlyforasupplyofriceorvegetables.Whenbeggingthey
