There are three types of chivara: the inner robe (Pali: antaravasaka), made of 5 strips of cloth; the outer robe (uttarasanga), made of 7 strips; and the great robe, or cloak (samghati), made of 9, 15, or 25 strips. In order to avoid the primary colours, Buddhist robes are of mixed colours, such as orange or brown.
Modesty in dress is important in Buddhism. The Sekhiya rules of Buddhist Monastic code, for example, provide guidelines on proper clothing as well as recommended ways of dressing for monks.
Cover Yourself
Shoulders should be covered and long pants should be worn rather than shorts. Some temples in tourist places may be more lenient, but your modesty will be appreciated. Some, but not all temples, may provide a sarong or other cover-up for a small fee if the gatekeeper thinks you're not covered up enough.
The whole purpose of this style of dress is to encourage humility and detachment from materialism, thus emulating the path to enlightenment that Buddha took, thus colours and style of the clothing reflect the materials in abundance in the region of each sect.
Dress modestly
Men and women should wear clothing that covers most or all of the body. Shirts should have sleeves, and pants should cover beyond the knees. Avoid tank-tops and short shorts.
During menstruation, women should not enter temples or shrines, being seen as polluted. In Sri Lankan Buddhism, this is also true for their husbands and other men, who have been in a home with menstruating women.
Sandals and scarves cover the shoulders are allowed. These following clothes are strictly not allowed as outer garments for both ladies and gentlemen: Short shorts, mini-skirts, short skirts, torn jeans, see through, vests, tight fitting trousers or leggings.
Theravada nuns wear light pink or white robes. Typically only seen during morning almsgiving rituals, alms bowls are worn around the neck. In Bhutan and Nepal, both monks and nuns generally wear only maroon robes, with some variation of red. Both countries practice Buddhism that is closely-related to Tibetan Buddhism.
The saffron (for a more appropriate name for the color) robes monk wear dates back centuries. Orange was chosen mainly because of the dye available at the time. The tradition stuck and orange is now the color of choice for Theravada Buddhist followers in Southeast Asia, as opposed to a maroon color for Tibetan monks.
According to more general Buddhist monastic codes, a Buddhist monk must not wear footwear that covers the toes and the heels. However, monks can wear shoes that have been donated to them, which is useful to monks living in colder climates, or where the terrain is rough. So minimalism is key.
No specific rules exist for ordinary Buddhists about what they should wear, and most will conform to the local traditions and customs in their appearance. Those who have entered the path to becoming a spiritual leader, a teacher or even a monk may be more strict in their dress and only wear simple cotton clothing.
The precepts are commitments to abstain from killing living beings, stealing, sexual misconduct, lying and intoxication. Within the Buddhist doctrine, they are meant to develop mind and character to make progress on the path to enlightenment.
No Short Shorts
They should keep their skirts or shorts down to the knee (if shorts are allowed at the temple you are visiting. Avoid wearing tattered pants. Tight leggings are discouraged too.
For most Buddhists, however, the desire to look pretty and wear makeup, even if it's just for yourself, is still considered a material attachment. Until you rid yourself of all attachments, the belief is you won't reach enlightenment and be forced to reincarnate for all eternity.
Among women, wearing a head covering outside the home is a common practice among Muslims (89%), Sikhs (86%) and Hindus (59%). The practice of covering the head outside the home is less widespread among Buddhist (30%) and Christian (21%) women.
Do not place images or statues of Buddha as if they were furniture or decorative objects. Don't place a Buddha statue in the middle of a table. Don't place a Buddha statue in the toilet. Don't place Buddha statues in bars or restaurants.
Black. In many cultures, black is a sombre colour, and the colour of mourning – and in Buddhism, that is no different. For Buddhist funerals, guests and families typically wear black or white.
Buddhism is practiced by a diverse range of people from different cultures, so attire differs according to heritage. The family typically wears white, whereas friends may wear black. Japanese Buddhist mourners wear black but others may wear white.
Food is prepared as a spiritual exercise with attention to balance, harmony, and delicacy. Conscious eating is followed among all Buddhists. Buddha advised monks to avoid eating 10 kinds of meat for self-respect and protection: humans, elephants, horses, dogs, snakes, lions, tigers, boars and hyenas.
Buddhism encourages nonattachment in romantic relationships. In order to follow the path of enlightenment, Buddhism teaches people to discard all things in life that can cause pain, so one must detach from the idea of a perfect person and instead accept a partner unconditionally.
Women were included in Buddhism since its earliest years, and their monastic ordination dates back more than 2,500 years, said Judith Simmer-Brown, emeritus professor of contemplative and religious studies at Colorado's Naropa University, a liberal arts school associated with Buddhism.
Q1: Why do Buddhists always greet each other with “Buddha Amitabha (Amituofo, in Chinese)”? A: "Amituofo" is always used whenever Buddhists meet or say goodbye; to express gratitude, apologies, praise, anger, or sadness; or, when something unexpected happened.
What Is Buddhism? Buddhism is variously understood as a religion, a philosophy, or a set of beliefs and practices based on the teachings of the Buddha, or “Awakened One”—the title given to the Indian spiritual seeker Siddhartha Gautama after he attained enlightenment more than 2,600 years ago.
Doing prostrations demonstrates respect through the act of joining palms, lowering one's head to touch Buddha's feet, and kneeling with one's head to touch the ground. Recitation functions to convey reverence through one's speech by reciting phrases such as "Namo Sakyamuni Buddha" or "Namo Amitabha".