An excerpt from a teaching called How to Pray by Being by Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo
The monks and nuns who wear their robes are actually wearing the garment that Lord Buddha himself wore, in exactly the same way, with all the same little stitches in the same funny places. It’s all very complicated, but it all means something.
The robes keep us mindful that we are all the Buddha’s sons and daughters. When we wear the robes of the Buddha, we should not think that this is some sort of burden or that we are doing Buddha a favor or anything like that. We should think that these robes are like our own lifeblood. They protect us. They keep us mindful.
There is a difference between being in the world and wearing Lord Buddha’s clothing and being in the world in ordinary clothes. There is a difference in our mind. There is also difference in the response of other people toward us.
© Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo
