The Origin of Tibetan Buddhist Monks’ Clothing

Tibetan Buddhist monks wear red robes and red or yellow hats. This unique attire inspires awe among believers. In Buddhism, monks are one of the Three Treasures, and monk robes are considered as Buddha robes and are very precious. Even a piece of red cloth is offered as an offering and will never be desecrated.

Buddhism originated in India, and naturally, monks’ clothing also originated in India. At that time, Sakyamuni regarded all the wealth and glory in the world as the root of suffering. He abandoned the throne of the country and took the precepts in front of the Pure Pagoda. When he shaved his head to become a monk, he took off his secular clothes and put on the clothes that showed he had left home. From then on, Sakyamuni asked all monks who entered Buddhism to follow his example and wear monks’ clothes. This became a system.
The monks’ clothing stipulated by Sakyamuni has four characteristics:

First, monks’ robes are different from those worn by non-Buddhists. Second, monks’ robes are tailored to the time and place. Third, they do not have any ornaments. Fourth, they comply with the requirements of the precepts.

The Vinaya Sutra states that a bhikkhu has thirteen pieces of clothing, namely, Langka (double-layered clothing, cassock), Lakui (upper garment), Shamut (skirt), Shamutsen (secondary skirt), Tangkui (lower garment), Weisen (armpit-covering garment), Weisensen (secondary armpit-covering garment), Dongqi (face-wiping towel), Nasen (armpit-protecting garment), Yangapu (scabby-protecting garment), Zhasai (hair-shaving garment), Dingwa (covering), and Yakui (raincoat). The size, color, and style of these thirteen pieces of clothing should be selected and sewn strictly in accordance with the Vinaya Sutra, and cannot be made at will.

1. Langka (Nangka)
   Langka is made by cutting yellow cloth into strips and sewing them. It is a kind of kasaya. Langka is one of the robes worn by monks when they worship Buddha, beg for alms, preach, listen to sutras, participate in ritual gatherings, etc., not ordinary clothes. The size and number of strips of Langka is determined according to the size of the monk. The large Langka is made of 21, 22 or 25 strips of cloth. The medium Langka is made of 15, 17 or 19 strips of cloth. The small Langka is made of 9, 11 or 13 strips of cloth. Its size and number of strips are determined according to the size of the monk. There are three categories in each of the large, medium and small categories. Langka must be sewn with cut cloth and sewn in a grid shape, which is made of square silk cloth sewn in the shape of fish scales. That is, it is pressed from the middle to both sides, and there are edges of the same size. The horizontal seams are staggered. The choice of cloth is intended to eliminate greed, and the mesh is used to distinguish it from the robes of heterodox religions.
   The robes originally designed by Sakyamuni were not in a mesh shape. One day, King Yingjian of Magadha met a heterodox teacher on the road when he was out. The king mistakenly thought he was a Buddhist monk and bowed to him. Based on this, Sakyamuni specifically stipulated that the robes of Buddhist monks must be sewn in a mesh shape to distinguish them. The Vinaya Sutra stipulates that monks should regard the langka as a precious item. Only those who have received 250 precepts of monks can wear the langka. Samaneras are not qualified to wear the langka.
2. Lakui
   Lakui is the upper garment worn by novices and monks during the day. Lakui is made of cloth strips and secondary cloth, and is the same size as the langka.
3. Tangkui
   Tangkui is the lower garment, which is a mesh skirt worn by monks. It is made of five and a half pieces of cloth.
4. Shamut
   Shamut is the lower garment worn during the day, which is used to prevent the Tangkui from being stained by sweat. The size is the same as the Tangkui. In Tibetan areas, novice monks wear Shamut, but ordinary monks do not wear Shamut.
5. Xiamutesen
   Xiamutesen is an inner skirt worn at night, the same size as Tangkui.
6. Weisen
   Weisen is the inner top worn during the day, equivalent to a sweatshirt. It is intended to prevent sweat from getting wet, and its size is the same as the top.
7. Weisensen
   Weisensen is an undershirt worn under a top at night, the same size as the top.
8. Dongqi
   Dongqi is a face towel, which is a face cloth about one elbow square.
9. Nasen
   Nasen is the clothing worn by bhikkhus when suffering from abscesses. It is the same size as laku.
10. Yangapu
    Yangapu is a scab cover, which is used by monks to cover scabies. It is six cubits long and three cubits wide.
11. Zhasai
    Zhasai is the shaved cloth, which is used by monks to hold the shaved hair. The size is three cubits long and one and a half cubits wide.
12. Dingwa
    Dingwa is a mat that monks use to sleep at night. It is three cubits long and two cubits and six fingers wide. It cannot be larger than this size, otherwise it will become a root of sin.
13. Yaqui
    Yaqui is the cloth that monks use to protect themselves from rain in summer. It is nine cubits long and three cubits and eight fingers wide. It cannot be larger than this size, otherwise it will become a root of evil.

When wearing the above-mentioned clothes, monks should remember that clothes are only used to cover the body, and all tools are not eternal. They should be aware that the reason for wearing monk’s clothes is to distinguish themselves from the outsiders and the secular people, and to remind themselves that they are the devout believers and followers of Sakyamuni, rather than luxury goods for decoration. Therefore, these clothes must not be made gorgeous and cannot have any decorations. For example, the belt cannot be decorated with precious jewels or other ornaments, nor can it have small bells or other pendants that make noises. The clothes of lay people are often for the purpose of dressing up and showing their wealth. There are also strict regulations on the color of monks’ clothes, which can only be red, blue, and red and yellow.