The Virtuous deserve the stained robe

Weragoda
Sarada Maha Thero

Yo ca vantakasavassa
Silesu susamahito
Upeto damasaccena
Sa ve kasavamarahati

But one who is self-cleansed of stain,
in moral conduct firmly set,
having restraint and truthfulness
is fit for the stainless robe.

So the leader of the herd sent the other elephants on ahead and walking very slowly, brought up the rear himself. When the rest of the elephants had paid obeisance and passed on, the elephant-hunter saw the Buddha approach, whereupon he gathered his robe together and threw his spear.

The Buddha fixed his attention as he approached, and stepped backwards to avoid the spear. “This is the man who killed my elephants,” through the Buddha, and forthwith sprang forwards to seize him. But the elephant-hunter jumped behind a tree and crouched down.

Thought the Buddha. “I will encircle both the hunter and the tree with my trunk, seize the hunter, and dash him to the ground.” Just at that moment the hunter removed the yellow robe and allowed the elephant to see it. When the Great Being saw it, he thought to himself. “If I offend against this man, the reverence which thousands of Buddhas, Private Buddhas, and Arahats feel towards me will of necessity be lost.” Therefore he kept his patience.

Then he asked the hunter, “Was it you that killed all these kinsmen of mine?” “Yes, master,” replied the hunter. “Why did you do so wicked a deed? You have put on robes which become those who are free from the passions, but which are unbecoming to you. In doing such a deed as this, you have committed a grievous sin.” So saying, he rebuked him again for the last time. “Unbecoming is the deed you have done,” said he.

When the Buddha had ended this lesson, he identified the characters in the Jataka as follows, “At that time the elephant-hunter was Devadatta, and the noble elephant who rebuked him was I myself. Monks, this is not the first time Devadatta has worn a robe which was unbecoming to him.”

Commentary

The ‘stained cloth’ is a symbol of purity for the Buddhist. He holds as sacred and holy this specially prepared monk’s robe. The Buddhist bows down in homage to the wearer of this robe. The robe signifies the Sangha which is a part of the Holy Trinity of the Buddhist: Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha.

When a person is ordained as a Buddhist monk, the person feels that he has risen a above the mundane realm and become a holy person. This feeling is reinforced when laymen bow down before him. This new ‘self-image’ helps the newly ordained person to start a new life of holiness. The layman too gets inspiration by seeing and worshiping the wearer of the robe. This Veneration of the robe, therefore, is an important part of the Buddhist practice.

This is why person contaminated by profanity is not worthy of the yellow cloth. It is a sacrilege to wear it, if he is impure. It is a desecration of the sacred robe.