Namo tassa bhagavato arahato sammā-sambuddhassa

The Daily Routine of a Yogi Monk
(Yogàvacara Dinacariyàva)

NAMO TASSA BHAGAVATO, ARAHATO, SAMMA SAMBUDDHASSA

 A yogi monk, who has dedicated his life to the Sàsana, and wishes to find solace in the attainment of the supreme bliss of Nibbàna, should always keep that objective in mind in order to achieve the same.

 A yogi monk who is not sick should make it a habit to wake up before dawn. Having woken up, he should rise from his bed immediately, attend to his toilet quickly, chant a protective sutta, study or meditate, and thus not while his day away.

 He should, at the right time, attend to The Buddha [the shrine room], to teachers, sick or senior monks and so forth. If he so wishes, he can go to the refectory for breakfast. He should attend there to his needs without delay, and then return to his dwelling.

 He should then attend to his routine business such as studying Dhamma, keeping his body clean, and meditating. Before the gong sounds for the alms-round, he should rinse his bowl with clean water, put it into its bag and place it aside properly.

 When the gong sounds for the alms-round, he should worship the Triple Gem, robe himself, hang his bowl over his (left) shoulder, and keeping his mind on his meditation, he should arrive at the appointed place within five minutes. He should, still paying attention to his meditation, proceed with the other monks, and when near the alms-hall, he should do his alms-round meditating on Mettà. Having received his alms he should, when returning, not let go of his meditation.

 After he has attended to his needs in the refectory, and after the worship in the shrine room, he should meditate for about an hour on his usual meditation subject, and if he has no studies to do, he should devote the rest of his time only to meditation.

 He should do his chores at around 5 p.m., conclude the evening worship etc., and inquire about the well-being of senior etc. monks. If he so wishes, he can partake of a refreshment, and should then return to his dwelling with a pure mind.

 He should, unless he chants protective suttas, meditate till the end of the first watch. At 10 p.m., when going to sleep, he should determine: "I shall wake up before day-break."

 He should take note of all his daily activities, write a timetable, place it before him, and determine not to depart from it for any reason.

 He should not talk with donors about requisites. If invited, he may, after having obtained permission from his teacher or another senior monk, deliver a dhamma talk; during which occasion he should remember his status as a yogi, and be mindful.

 Since speaking of internal affairs to outsiders, and external affairs to insiders may give rise to dissension, he should guard himself fully against [such activities].

 Since one's good or bad qualities manifest through one's postures of walking etc., he should, whether in private or in public, always deport himself in a manner true to a recluse (samana). This applies also to his speech.

 It is proper that, insofar as he is able, a yogi monk does all his work himself. When doing such work he should have taken care beforehand that there is no break in his calm and peaceful demeanour, or manners befitting a recluse.

 A yogi monk is not allowed to even speak too much, let alone to join in idle talk. Therefore, unless it is absolutely necessary, he should not go to the dwellings of others. He should aim at purity of conduct when moving about: going to worship The Buddha [shrine room], or going for alms etc.

 Since it behoves him, even at the cost of his meditation, not to annoy others, there is no need either for him to boast about or make a display of his virtues and cleverness in front of others.

 The requisites, which he uses regularly, are made easy to use if he keeps them orderly in a fixed place. That way he can do his work quickly, and keep a tranquil mind.

 When, due to objects entering his mind, attachment, aversion or any other mental defilements arise, he should take notice of them, arouse the sense of being a yogi, and thereby become skilful at avoiding such pitfalls.

 He should always maintain external cleanliness, and maintain internal [mental] cleanliness by reflecting several times a day on suttas such as the Dasadhammasutta, akankheyyasutta etc., and on "the grounds for a sense of urgency" (samvegavatthu), and be thus always intent on progress.

 He should know how to perform major and minor work of the Saïgha well, and how to deliver a dhamma sermon of substance, lasting about fifteen minutes. Whatever work he undertakes, he should take care to perform it orderly, properly and neatly.

 He should always remember that fulfilling the duties towards visiting monks helps cultivate one's virtues, and that coming into conflict with those whose conduct is unbecoming of a co-resident causes diminution of one's virtues.

 Should travel be absolutely necessary, he should undertake it as prescribed in the Regulations of these Yogi-Hermitages (Yogashramiya Katika-vata).

 Having considered the fact that knowing how to do one's chores and duties thoroughly, neatly and orderly helps perfect one's Sãla (virtue), he should endeavour to be thus dutiful.

 He should give up excessive correspondence, as well as internal and external association obstructive to the life of a yogi monk.

 Since unencumbered living is the easiest way to lead the monk's life, it behoves him to refrain from hoarding even books. He should, furthermore, refrain from having newspapers full of obscenity so much as near him.

 Conducting one's work [meditation etc.] in accordance with the Regulations of the Shri Kalyani Yogi-Hermitages (Shri Kalyani Yogashramiya Katikavata) and the Regulations of one's place of residence is for the convenience of you who reside here and that of others. It behoves you, therefore, to impress them upon your mind.