Buddhist monastic robes. Musical instrument and monastic clothing Buddhist clothing name

Dongchen - big trumpet

It was invented by Tibetan masters. When the Venerable Zhowo Atisha was invited to Tibet, to pay respects to the greatest Pandita, the illustrious Prince Zhanchup Od arranged a musical performance, offering the sounds of a large trumpet. Nowadays, this tradition has not disappeared and the same ceremony is held at receptions of highly educated Teachers. When dancing Cham during major holidays they also use a large trumpet.

The size of the large pipe varies from 7 to 3 cubits in length. The narrow opening of the mouthpiece gradually widens towards the bell. It consists of three parts that fit neatly into each other. Copper and brass are used as manufacturing materials. Therefore, its other name is Rakdun, literally translated from Tibetan rak - brass, dun - pipe. The sounds produced are divided into: loud - male and quiet - female.

Dongak

Dongak, this part of the monastic robe was not used in India, but only in Tibet. Due to the high altitude, cold climate, Dongak served as a kind of sleeveless shirt. It is similar to the skin from the head of an elephant, the elephant is considered a strong animal, so the monk who wears this robe creates the precondition for gaining the power in the future to discard negative karma and increase virtue like the power of an elephant. The shoulder pads that replaced the sleeves resemble elephant ears. During the time of Landarma, when the Teaching was in decline. Four monks were needed to conduct the rite of initiation into monks (Bhikshus). But only three were found in Tibet. And they were forced to invite a fourth from China. And therefore, as a sign of respect, the shoulder pads are trimmed along the contour with blue braid; for the same reason, the monastic robes of Namjyar and Lagoi are trimmed with blue threads. Also, there used to be a tradition of making a loop at the lower end of the braid, where the monks would stick their thumb so as not to carelessly wave their arms while walking.

Shamtap

Shamtap is the lower monastic robe. Only novices - Shramaners and monks - Bhikshus wear it. As Buddha Gautama preached: “wear the shamtap with meaning and order”! All the details of this robe have a hidden meaning, it consists of connected rectangular pieces of fabric, each of which symbolizes a certain obligation from the vow made by the monk. For example, Sramāners have 36 obligations, and Bhikshus have 253, as indicated by the number of rectangles on the shamtapa. You can leave it on even while sleeping.

Zen.

An everyday cape made of red material, two cubits wide and five to ten cubits long, according to the height of the monk.

When Buddha renounced life in the world in front of the stupa, he threw off his worldly clothes and put on the monastic clothes that the celestials presented to him. And after that, his followers-disciples put on exactly the same clothes. Firstly, so that there is a distinction between monks and laymen, and secondly, these clothes do not contradict the vows of Bhikkhus. Thirdly, so that the monks would wear these clothes and not think about beauty.

Once in the old days, King Bimbisara met with a non-religious brahman and, mistakenly thinking that he was a Buddhist monk, bowed to him. And therefore, after this, the Buddha, in order to distinguish between Tirthikas and Buddhist monks-Bhikshus, introduced such clothes as “Namjyar” and “Lagoi”, made of square patches. Nowadays in northern Buddhism they are rarely worn in everyday life. They are used during the Sojong purification ritual. And also during preaching or listening to the Teaching. "Lagoi" and "Namjyar" are the same in size but differ in color, one is orange and the other is yellow. The first is intended for all those who have taken monastic vows, the second only for monks who have taken full Bhikkhu ordination.

Source - book of monks from the monastery DREPUNG GOMAN SAMLO KANTSEN

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Hello, dear readers – seekers of knowledge and truth!

What is the name of the clothing of Buddhist monks, what is it like, and why are some monks’ attire gray, others saffron, and others burgundy-red?

General rules

When a Buddhist decides to renounce worldly life and become a monk, he also renounces all the benefits and excesses available to ordinary people. Along with his new way of life, he adopts the special dress that all monks wear. It is intended to hide individuality and show equality and belonging to the sangha.

The robes of monks are built according to approximately the same principle, but in different countries they are called differently:

kesa - in Japan;
Senyi - in China;
kashaya - in other Buddhist territories.

The word “kashaya” is translated as “discreet color.” In fact, this is true: bright colors and the desire to stand out from the crowd contradict the philosophy of the monks, so if they are used in clothing, then in muted tones.

This color scheme is also preceded by history - initially bhikkhus sewed their clothes from rags that were thrown away as garbage, and their fabric faded under the sun's rays or turned yellow from long wear. Later, the material began to be painted with natural components: earth, limestone, stone, minerals and other natural dyes.

This explains the fact that in different areas the robes of monks are of different colors - whatever nature is rich in, the kashai will be painted in that color. Today, adherence to a color palette in clothing is rather a tribute to tradition.

For example, urban bhikkus wear orange clothes, while forest bhikkus wear burgundy-red. In Mongolia and Tibet, they wear predominantly yellow, red and orange kashaya, while in Japan, China and Korea they wear white, grey, black and brown.

The style of Buddhist monks in the world of modern fashion could be called “minimalism and comfort.” Each tradition may vary slightly in appearance, but traditionally they all include three main elements:

antarvasaka - worn on a naked body, covers the lower part of the body, analogous to underwear;
uttarasanga - worn on the upper part of the body, covers the torso and lies on top of the antarvasaka;
samhati - a large piece of fabric, worn on top like a cape.

For some monks, samhati may consist of several pieces of fabric, for example, five - for an ordinary bhikkhu - for every day, seven - for every day for a master, nine - for a master on holidays and during ceremonies.

Monastic robes are not just a necessity, it is also a symbol of Buddhism, which is passed down by generations of monks, and goes back to the Great Teacher - Shakyamuni Buddha. The monk’s robe is a sacred thing, everyone must honor it by observing certain rules in wearing and storing it. Most of them are recorded in the sacred text Vinaya Pitaka.

The Vinaya Pitaka contains texts that regulate the life of the Buddhist community in all aspects. Here are the rules, the history of their origin and the story of how Buddha Shakyamuni used them for harmonious and warm relationships within the community of his disciples.

The Vinaya Pitaka is the most revered in the tradition, but its rules apply approximately 80 percent to other schools of Buddhist thought. They prescribe how bhikkhus and, in other words, monks and nuns, should wear clothes, sew them, clean them, put them on, change them, throw them away when they are completely worn out.

The main rules include the following:

a monk cannot be away from kashaya for a single day;
bhikkhus themselves sew, dye, wash, repair it;
you cannot make more than ten patches on an antarvasak - it needs to be changed;
you need to get rid of old clothes in the proper way, depending on tradition;
-Buddhists must accompany each dressing and undressing with special rituals.

Modern realities also apply to monastic vestments. So, for example, synthetic fabrics and artificial dyes can now be used, and in the Zen school monks are allowed to wear modern underwear.

Monk clothes in a store

It is interesting that the monks use current decoration technologies not to decorate clothes, but to deliberately age them: artificial patches, scuffs or the effect of faded fabric.

Theravada

The vestments of Theravadin monks who live in Burmese, Thai, Sri Lankan, and Vietnamese lands are most consistent with the canon compared to other schools. Their color is usually darker - shades of mustard, cinnamon, and burgundy predominate.

Monks in Theravada schools burn old clothes.

Kashaya traditionally consists of three components:

antarvasaka - in Thai also sounds like “sabong”, it is made from a small rectangular piece of fabric, which is girded and fixed around the waist;
uttarasanga – in Pali – “tivara”, in Thai – “chivon”, a rectangular section measuring approximately two meters by seven meters;
samhati - a piece of dense fabric in the form of a rectangle measuring approximately two meters by three meters, used as outerwear like a raincoat during rain and wind, in good weather it is worn, covering the left shoulder.

Even such canonical Theravada clothing has exceptions to the rules:

you can wear an angsu - a sleeveless cape that covers the right shoulder and can have cutouts, pockets, Velcro, and zippers;
Sri Lankan bhikkhus replace them with shirts with sleeves;
Vietnamese monks have the right to wear loose-fitting trousers and a button-down shirt in everyday life, and on holidays and ceremonial days they throw on an “ang ho” robe and uttarasanga;
Burmese can wear warm clothes even during service due to the cold weather.

Previously, the nuns' vestments were similar to men's, with the only difference being that they contained a fourth item - a shirt that covered the other shoulder. Now the bhikkhuni lineage has ceased, and those affiliated with the monasterywomenThey wear white clothing, which is different from men's.

Mahayana

Adherents live mainly in Mongolian and Tibetan territories, as well as in the Buddhist regions of Russia - in the Buryat, Tuvan, Kalmyk republics.

Among the monks, yellow, orange, and red colors predominate. Their clothes are slightly different from the generally accepted ones:

underwear - a sarong, similar to a skirt, and a sleeveless T-shirt;
dhonka - a shirt worn over underwear with wing-like sleeves and piping;
shemdap – outer “skirt”;
zen - a cape worn over.

The Mahayans leave their worn-out porridge in areas charged with “purity” - in forests, mountains, near rivers, trees or in fields.

Due to the climate, in order not to freeze in the highlands or steppes, Tibetans are allowed to wear warm clothes:

a short cotton yellow jacket;
a jacket that is worn under a cape;
wool cape;
insulated trousers;
a special hat.

Monastery in Tibet

In the Mahayana tradition, not only lamas, but also lay people can wear monastic clothes - however, only on special occasions, for example, in ceremonies, when receiving teacher orders.

Zen

Zen Buddhism is mostly practiced among the Japanese, Chinese and Koreans. Their clothes are calmer, monochrome tones:

black, gray and brown are worn by the Chinese;
dark red, gray – Koreans;
black and white - Japanese.

The clothing of the latter, starting from the 17th century, became more and more similar to a kimono in the style of the famous Noh theater. It consists of:

Shata – a white robe worn underneath;
kolomo – a black robe with a belt, worn on top;
kashaya or rakusa - a special collar that resembles a shirtfront and slightly covers the chest; There is also an elongated version of it - vagesa.

Rakusa represents truly Buddhist patience - Japanese monks sew it themselves, joining sixteen pieces of fabric together.

The Zen school has special instructions on how to dress, undress, and store monastic robes:

should be stored on the altar, neatly folded;
you can’t leave it on the ground;
to put it on, they remove it from the altar with both hands, bowing and touching their forehead to the clothes, then straighten it, bow three times - as a symbol of honoring the Buddha and the Sangha - and begin to dress;
when undressing, they repeat the same ritual, but in reverse order.

Conclusion

Thank you very much for your attention, dear readers! We hope you liked our article, and today your knowledge has been replenished with interesting facts.

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During the solemn initiation ceremony, a Buddhist, taking his first monastic vows, receives the corresponding attributes, including monastic vestments, which are designed to hide individuality and demonstrate belonging to the community (sangha). The rules and requirements for such robes are collected in the canonical Vinaya code.

Since a monk, leaving worldly life, renounces its values, he should not own any valuable things. And therefore his clothes consist of the minimum necessary set of things of minimal value. It is believed that it was originally made from rags and painted with “earth”. Now in different traditions and schools there are differences, but, in general, they come down to three main elements of clothing: lower, upper and outer.

The traditional colors of vestments were also developed based on the availability of inexpensive natural dyes in a given area, and therefore they are different. So in Sri Lanka, Myanmar and Thailand, where the Theravada tradition is followed, brown and mustard colors are used.

Monks in cities wear orange robes, while monks in the “forest” tradition wear burgundy. The same burgundy color, along with yellow-orange, is characteristic of India, Tibet, Mongolia, Buryatia and Kalmykia (Mahayana tradition). In the Far East, where the Soto Zen tradition is widespread, dark shades are characteristic:
- black, white in Japan;
- black, gray and dark brown in China,
- gray, burgundy in Korea.

Since monastic robes are a symbol of a tradition that is passed down from master (teacher) to disciple, and come from the robes of Buddha Shakyamuni himself, they are worshiped as shrines. Therefore, the Vinaya strictly describes the procedure for wearing clothes, making them, cleaning them, replacing them, accepting them as a gift or exchanging them, etc.

For example:
- you cannot be separated from any of your clothes even for one night;
- a monk must make, dye, and clean his own clothes;
- if the underwear has worn out so much that there are more than 10 patches on it, then it must be replaced with a new one;
- worn clothes in the Theravada tradition are burned, but in the Mahayana tradition they are required to be left in a “clean” place;
- in the Soto Zen tradition there are whole rituals of putting on and taking off clothes.

Although monastic clothing serves the principle of unification in appearance, decorative elements are nevertheless permitted that show the piety and asceticism of a Buddhist. In modern trends, these are decorative patches or the effect of artificial aging of fabric.

New times are also manifested in the use of modern accessories in clothing, synthetic or mixed fabrics dyed with aniline dyes, and the use of modern linen (Soto Zen and Mahayana).

Theravada (Burma, Thailand, Sri Lanka)

Monastic clothing here is closest to the canonical image.

1.1 Color
Mustard or brown coloring of the fabric most closely matches the “color of the earth.” In the “forest” tradition, burgundy is used, but monks in cities stick to orange.

1.2 Composition
In the Theravada tradition, the clothing of Buddhist monks consists of 3 things:
- Antaravasaka - a rectangular piece of fabric worn like a sarong, secured at the waist with a belt;
- Uttara sanga (tivara, chivon) – fabric 2 x 7 m for draping the shoulders and upper body;
- Sangati - 2 x 3 m of thicker fabric, serves as a cape for protection from bad weather, usually worn folded in a narrow strip and thrown over the left shoulder.

1.3 Non-canonical deviations
Nowadays, clothing requirements allow the use of a sleeveless angsa without the right shoulder instead of a tiwara. Its cut and style can be different, it is possible to use modern fittings. In Sri Lanka, monks use a shirt with sleeves instead of an angsa. And in Vietnam, Buddhists inside the monastery wear wide “kang kang” trousers and a “sya” shirt with 3-5 buttons and long sleeves; in other cases, they put on an “ang ho” robe on top, and put a tiwara on the left shoulder. In Burma, you are allowed to wear warm clothes in cold weather.

Nuns wear white robes.

Mahayana (Buryatia, Kalmykia, India, Tibet, Mongolia)

2.1 Color
Mahayana Buddhist monastic robes use burgundy and orange-yellow colors.

2.2 Composition
- Underwear (sarong and sleeveless vest);
- Dhonka - shirts with short cap sleeves with blue piping along the edge;
- Shemdap – upper sarong;
- Zen - cape.

2.3 Non-canonical deviations
In Tibet, monks wear specially shaped headdresses, and they are also allowed to wear shirts and pants.

Soto Zen (Japan, China, Korea)

3.1 Color
In China, the monks' attire is painted dark brown, gray or black, in Korea it is gray, and the cape is burgundy. In Japan, black and white is used.

3.2 Composition (Japan)
- Shata – white undercoat;
- Kolomo - black outer robe with a belt;
- Kesa (kashaya, rakusa).

3.3 Non-canonical deviations
The list of permitted items includes modern underwear.

During the solemn initiation ceremony, a Buddhist, taking his first monastic vows, receives the corresponding attributes, including monastic vestments, which are designed to hide individuality and demonstrate belonging to the community ( sangha). The rules and requirements for such robes are collected in the canonical code Vinaya.

Since a monk, leaving worldly life, renounces its values, he should not own any valuable things. And therefore it consists of the minimum necessary set of things of minimal value. It is believed that it was originally made from rags and painted with “earth”. Now in different traditions and schools there are differences, but, in general, they come down to three main elements of clothing: lower, upper and outer.

black, white in Japan;
black, gray and dark brown in China,
gray, burgundy in Korea.

Since monastic robes are a symbol of the tradition that is passed down, and come from the robes of Buddha Shakyamuni himself, they are worshiped as a shrine. Therefore in Vinaya the procedure for wearing clothes, making them, cleaning them, replacing them, accepting them as a gift or exchanging them, etc. is strictly described.

you cannot be separated from any of your clothes even for one night,
a monk must make, dye, and clean his own clothes;
if the underwear has worn out so much that it has more than 10 patches, then it must be replaced with a new one;
in the Theravada tradition, worn-out clothes are burned, while in the Mahayana tradition they are required to be left in a “clean” place;
In the Soto Zen tradition there are whole rituals of putting on and taking off clothes.

New times are also manifested in the use of modern accessories in clothing, synthetic or mixed fabrics dyed with aniline dyes, and the use of modern linen (Soto Zen and Mahayana).

Standing Buddha
(Gandhara, I-II centuries AD,
Tokyo National Museum).

In the Far East, where the Soto Zen tradition is widespread, dark shades are characteristic:

black, white in Japan;
black, gray and dark brown in China,
gray, burgundy in Korea.

For example:

you cannot be separated from any of your clothes even for one night;
a monk must make, dye, and clean his own clothes;
if the underwear has worn out so much that it has more than 10 patches, then it must be replaced with a new one;
in the Theravada tradition, worn-out clothes are burned, while in the Mahayana tradition they are required to be left in a “clean” place;
In the Soto Zen tradition there are whole rituals of putting on and taking off clothes.

New times are also manifested in the use of modern accessories in clothing, synthetic or mixed fabrics dyed with aniline dyes, and the use of modern linen (Soto Zen and Mahayana).

Theravada (Burma, Thailand, Sri Lanka)

Monastic clothing here is closest to the canonical image.

1.1 Color

Mustard or brown coloring of the fabric most closely matches the “color of the earth.” In the “forest” tradition, burgundy is used, but monks in cities stick to orange.

1.2 Composition

In the Theravada tradition, the clothing of Buddhist monks consists of 3 things:

Antaravasaka - a rectangular piece of fabric worn like a sarong, secured at the waist with a belt;
Uttara sanga (tivara, chivon) – fabric 2 x 7 m for draping the shoulders and upper body;
Sangati - 2 x 3 m of thicker fabric, serves as a cape for protection from bad weather, usually worn folded in a narrow strip and thrown over the left shoulder.

1.3 Non-canonical deviations

Nowadays, clothing requirements allow the use of a sleeveless angsa without the right shoulder instead of a tiwara. Its cut and style can be different, it is possible to use modern fittings. In Sri Lanka, monks use a shirt with sleeves instead of an angsa. And in Vietnam, Buddhists inside the monastery wear wide “kang kang” trousers and a “sya” shirt with 3-5 buttons and long sleeves; in other cases, they put on an “ang ho” robe on top, and put a tiwara on the left shoulder. In Burma, you are allowed to wear warm clothes in cold weather.

Nuns wear white robes.

Mahayana (Buryatia, Kalmykia, India, Tibet, Mongolia)

2.1 Color

Mahayana Buddhist monastic robes use burgundy and orange-yellow colors.

2.2 Composition