Chapter 19 Section 4 A Brief Introduction to the Legal Clothes and Common Clothes of Sinicized Buddhist Monks Seen in History

As mentioned above, on the one hand, the monk’s clothing of Sinicized Buddhism must abide by the rules and regulations and refer to the old style of the South Asian subcontinent; It is also restricted and coerced by high-level leaders such as emperors and government agencies.It has changed so much in two thousand years that it has become a mixed system handed down from the same generation today. Let me talk about convincing first.The Dharma clothing of Sinicized Buddhism is mainly the three garments worn separately, especially the overcoat.However, there are two special coat shapes that must be mentioned.

One is Jinlianyi, its original meaning refers to cassocks woven with golden thread, and it is also called Jindi (氎), Jinlan cassock, Jinlu cassock, golden clothing, golden fold (氎) clothing, golden cassock in classics. Fold (氎) clothes.The story about this garment is often mentioned in the scriptures, and there are different accounts. In summary, it is roughly: the aunt of Shakyamuni Buddha (that is, his adoptive mother and stepmother) hand-woven a golden fold (氎) and dedicated it to Tathagata.Buddha Shakyamuni gave alms to the monks, and everyone gave back to Buddha Shakyamuni.In addition, it is said that when Sakyamuni Buddha was going to Nirvana, his disciple Fugui presented a gold folded garment, and the Buddha preached for him.It is recorded in "Records of the Western Regions" written by Wang Xuance, a famous diplomat in the Tang Dynasty, that beside the double sala trees where the Buddha passed away, the reclining statue of the Buddha Nirvana was covered with a golden cassock.Mrs. Wang took this incident as a rare event, which shows that it was rare in China at that time.The story that Xuanzang heard in Tianzhu is: When Sakyamuni Buddha passed into Nirvana, he gave this golden garment to his disciple Kasyapa, and instructed him to pass it on to Maitreya later.In the Buddhist teaching system, Maitreya is the future Buddha and the successor of Sakyamuni Buddha.Passing on the mantle from generation to generation is an important procedure for later Buddhist teachers and apprentices.Therefore, this kind of cassock gradually has the meaning of teaching the Dharma.Scholars who have a relationship with Sinicized Buddhism have long used "gold stacks" as a metaphor for Buddhism. For example, in the "Preface to Jinlouzi" written by Emperor Liang Yuan in the Southern and Northern Dynasties, it is said: "The Code of Neihong Gold Stacks"; Yu Xin The "Wuzhang Temple Sutra Collection Stele" said: "The silver letter is turned to the east, and the gold stack is turned to the south", all of which are used to borrow Buddhism and Buddhist scriptures.As for the Sinicized Buddhist monks wearing this cassock, it probably began in the Five Dynasties and the early Northern Song Dynasty, and quickly spread to Northeast Asia. It is recorded in Volume 28 of "Biography of Eminent Monks of the Song Dynasty" that the king of Goryeo once gave the eminent monk of Yongming Temple in Qiantang a "cassock woven with gold thread" to prolong his life, which is a proof.Later, when the Dharma was taught in Sinicized Buddhism, cassocks with gold thread were often passed on, the basis for which was as mentioned above.There is also a saying that Bodhidharma, the first ancestor of Zen Buddhism in Sinicization, passed on this cassock when he passed on his clothes.Therefore, this garment must be used in the teaching of Zen Buddhism.However, there is some information that what Bodhidharma passed on was just a "Qu Yi garment". The woven fine cloth was not grown in China at that time, and this cloth was brought by Bodhidharma from the Western Regions. According to the "Biography of Huineng" in Volume 8 of "Biography of Eminent Monks of the Song Dynasty", Bodhidharma's biography is a seven-piece cassock made of blue-black Western Region cotton cloth, and the lining is "Bi Fen".It seems that Bodhidharma has faced the wall for many years, so there is nothing good. This statement is more realistic.However, when modern and contemporary Sinicized Buddhist masters hold formal large-scale ceremonies, they generally wear yellow or red cassocks bounded by gold or silver threads into a pattern of water fields to show their own lineage.This kind of dress is quite majestic, and it is very effective for monks and laymen to pay homage.This is also a creative development of Sinicized Buddhism.

Let's talk about "Giving Zi", "Giving Fei" and "Giving Yellow".These are the methods of changing the color of cassock imposed on Buddhism by the central government agencies in ancient China, especially the emperor, and it is also a creative development of Sinicized Buddhist legal clothing.The difference from the previous one is that it is external, and it is issued by the administrative orders of non-Buddhist secular government agencies, so the implementation time is often not long, and it ends with the end of certain feudal dynasties. Let's talk about "Giving Zi" and "Giving Fei" first.In the Tang and Song dynasties, the official uniforms of officials above the third rank were purple, and those above the fifth rank were scarlet.However, if the official position is not as good as it is and has made great achievements, or because the emperor favors it, it can be specially bestowed with purple or scarlet.The Buddhist law originally forbade the use of purple.In the first year of Zaichu in the Tang Dynasty (690 A.D.), Empress Wu Zetian bestowed purple cassocks on behalf of the monk Falang and other nine people who re-translated the "Da Yun Jing" to create public opinion for the queen's enthronement.It is also a famous story that during Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty, Shamen Chongxian was bestowed with concubine for his proficiency in medical treatment and effective treatment of diseases.However, in the door of the begging palace, after all, there are Qing Ke or eagles and dogs. What Zheng Gu said in the Tang Dynasty "love monks and not purple-clothed monks" is referring to people's mentality.There are also those who stick to the rules and regulations, do not seek fame and fortune, and do not obey orders. For example, Emperor Huizong of Song Dynasty bestowed purple clothes and dharma titles on Furong Daokai (AD 1043-1118), an eminent monk of Cao Dongzong. Tattooed face and matching hair, but Dao Kai never wavered.His lofty character and integrity have won the admiration of the ancient monks.

There are also many monks who love vanity, and there are certain privileges to be enjoyed by the purple queen, so some monks flock to it.From the Five Dynasties to the Northern Song Dynasty, the scope of bestowing purple became wider and wider, and more and more people were bestowed.From the second year of Kaibao in the Northern Song Dynasty to the fourth year of Taiping Xingguo (AD 969-979), the government simply made public examinations: every time the emperor's birthday, monks from all over the world were called to the palace to invite the candidates to the palace, and the ten articles of the Profound Law of the Tripitaka were used as the basis. questions and hold the highest national examination.Those who pass all of them will be given purple.According to the author, this approach is good.Everyone is equal in the face of opportunities, and it can also improve the academic level of the Buddhist community.It's a pity that we didn't insist on doing it later. It is said that there are too many monks who have obtained this kind of "degree".The meritorious deeds of the monks in charge of the monks were reported and requested to be abolished. Instead, they were recommended by princes and ministers, and then selected from them.The author believes that the examination method is superior to the recommendation method, which has been repeatedly proved in our country through many practices.I would like to add that after the Tang and Song Dynasties, although there were occasional grants of purple, the scope was already very narrow.Modern and contemporary monks wear purple and scarlet cassocks, which are unique.

Let's talk about "gifting yellow".This is what happened in the Yuan Dynasty.It led to the later Dharma clothes being honored in yellow.In fact, this is also inconsistent with what the Buddha said.However, yellow is a bright color. If the robes are neat and clean, it can really show the monk's dignity.In order to make the Buddha's door brighter, I think that the Buddha should also acquiesce. The climate in most parts of China is cold, and wearing three clothes alone is not enough to keep out the cold. Therefore, it is normal to add other clothes in addition to the three clothes according to the Buddha's clear rule of storing one hundred things and even long things. .Soon after Buddhism was introduced into China, monk clothing developed into two systems: dharma clothing and ordinary clothing.The legal clothes are basically in accordance with the Buddhist law of the South Asian subcontinent, and the three clothes and five clothes are all like cats and tigers.The early monks were still biased when they worshiped Buddha and performed rituals. Later, probably because of the cold weather, and secondly because the old shirtless clothes were not in line with the national conditions, the nuns attracted crowds, needless to say; It is elegant, and it is suggested to put sleeves on it, which is called "pian (褊) shirt".Later, it was improved into an open ridge and collar style, which can be worn by monks and nuns, and has become a common clothing of Sinicized Buddhism.It also invented the method of lining the sleeved ordinary clothes and covering the partial cassock, which has been followed to this day.As for the style, the early common clothes were about the same as the clothes of ordinary people at that time.According to the eighth volume of "Continued Biography of Eminent Monks", at the end of the Eastern Wei Dynasty, when the monks in charge of a country were in charge, they believed that monks and laymen were "combined with rituals and clothes", so they "made samples differently, making the difference between Taoism and vulgarity".This is slowly making a difference.However, until the Tang Dynasty, after Yijing returned from studying abroad, Hao sighed that monks were still wearing the "Zen trousers and gowns" of lay people, which were "salty and obedient". It is related to the customs, and all the usages are obedient."It can be seen that the common clothes of monks are still quite messy, and the situation of not distinguishing between monks and laymen is still quite serious.In this way, it went slowly with the development of the times, and it did not come to an initial conclusion until the Ming Dynasty fell.During this period, there are several common clothes that monks often wear that need to be mentioned.

One is "straight".It is also used as straight embellishment, embellished with the meaning of "sewing, connecting".It is a monk's clothing that connects and sews together a tunic and a monk's skirt (a variant of Juesura).It is between legal clothes and ordinary clothes, and it has been popular since the end of the Tang Dynasty.Zen monks especially valued it and sometimes wore it as an alternate vestment.It can be worn by monks and nuns.Its color is mainly soapy, which is a grayish black.Among them, Lu Zhishen, the monk of Hua, and Wu Song, the traveler, all wear straight straight gowns of soap color.In the 82nd round when he was recruited into Chaomianjun, Lu Zhishen changed into the clothes of the Fierce Monk (red cassock), and Wu Song had to wear a straight gown with soap. of.A few words must be added: In ancient times, ordinary people also had a kind of straight gown at home, which was also worn by Taoist priests, so it was also called "Taoist robe".It is a gown with large sleeves, with a wide edge, a bar under it, and a long belt in front.As mentioned in the first chapter: "One wears a sapphire blue straight gown, and two people wear an original color straight gown."

The other is "Dapao", also known as "Haiqing".It evolved from the toga with large sleeves in ancient China.It is characterized by wide sleeves.The seven congregations of modern and contemporary Buddhism are used as outerwear in worshiping Buddha and more formal occasions.The monks and monks wear big robes when they worship Buddha, chant scriptures, and formal gatherings, and put one of the three clothes on the outside of the big robe.The other five congregations can only wear robes, not cassocks.Generally, there are only two colors of robes: one is black, which can be worn by all members of the public; the other is yellow, which can only be worn by the abbot and the great mage who presides over the Dharma assembly.It is a Chinese-style "Dharma clothing", and it must be strictly required to be called Dharma clothing unless it is a three-cloth garment. It is not a Buddhist clothing, but a more formal type of ordinary clothing.

There are three other kinds of monk's daily clothes, namely the small gown, the middle gown and the long gown.Small gowns belong to the "inner clothing", which is similar to the small gowns often worn by Chinese farmers. It has a Chinese-style stand-up collar and has two to four patch pockets (usually the two lower pockets). for buttons.Its length reaches the waist, also known as "short coat".The middle gown, also known as the "Luohan gown", has the same style as the small gown, and it is as long as the knees, and generally has four pockets: upper, lower, left, and right.These two are the most common clothes worn by monks. They are usually paired with Chinese-style gown trousers. The trouser legs are tied tightly with foot stretches (also called "line wrapping") and tied together with long cloth socks. Monk shoes must be worn. up.Common monk shoes include cloth shoes, hemp shoes, and straw sandals. The common styles are "spreading shoes" and "eight-lapping hemp shoes".Long gown, also known as long gown, is imitated from ancient slanted collar casual clothes.The characteristic is that it is cut into small pieces on the oblique front, as a symbol of "Futian" and "clothes".

The color of vestments commonly used by Buddhist monks in the early days of Sinicization seems to be mainly reddish brown as prescribed in Buddhist scriptures.Regular clothes, in order to distinguish them from those worn by ordinary people and believers of Taoism and other sects, use black black clothes.The common people in the Three Kingdoms, Southern and Northern Dynasties often wore white plain clothes without patterns, black and white contrasted, and both monks and lay people were called "Zi Su" together. "Northern History Shangdang Gangsu Wang Huan Biography" said: "Chu Shu's words: those who die high wear black clothes. It is because of the black clothes that they don't want to see the Sangmen every time they go out after Shenwu." Emperor Wu of Zhou even therefore Monks were forbidden to wear black, and they were ordered to wear the same yellow color as Taoist clothing.This prohibition period is very short, but it is an excuse for monks to have various colors of clothing in the future.The monks not only continued to wear black clothes, but also wore yellow robes.In the early Sui and Tang Dynasties, "after the desolation, the law (referring to the clear rules and precepts of Buddhism) did not work...the body resists the common clothes, and is the same as other popular customs." The colors have also increased.Zhu Yuanzhang, Emperor Taizu of the Ming Dynasty, was born as a novice monk. Seeing this chaotic situation, he made the best use of the situation and ordered the clothing of monks of different sects to be distinguished by color.In the fourteenth year of Hongwu (AD 1381), he issued an imperial edict: "Zen monks: tea-brown regular clothes, green sash, and jade-colored cassock; teaching monks: jade-colored regular clothes, green sash, and light red cassock; Monk): Soap regular clothes, black sash, and light red cassock; all monks and officials are the same. Only the cassocks of monks and officials are green and decorated with gold." According to "Bamboo Window Erbi", monks in the Ming Dynasty still wore blue "Shan Tang Si Kao" says that yogis wear light-white regular clothes.It's really colorful, and the colorful flowers rain to see the flying sky.

The Manchus entered the customs and ordered to shave their hair and change their clothes, except for monks and Taoist priests.Many old people have escaped into Buddhism to preserve the old clothes of the old country.From then on, monks' uniforms kept the style of the late Ming Dynasty, and the colors tended to be roughly the same due to the gradual integration of various sects, but brown, yellow, black, and gray. The cassocks of the great masters were not only yellow, but also fiery red.There is also an intermediate color that is yellow, not yellow, green and not green, commonly known as Xiang color, which is also a popular color.

In short, the legal and ordinary clothes of Sinicized Buddhism come in various styles and colors.Its legal clothing mainly adopts the modified three-cloth square robe style in the South Asian subcontinent; the regular clothing is the result of continuous development from the Southern and Northern Dynasties to the Ming Dynasty.