Who Deserves the Robes?

He who, depraved,
devoid of truthfulness and self-control,
puts on the ochre [monastic] robe,
doesn’t deserve the ochre robe.

But he who is free of depravity,
endowed with truthfulness and self-control,
well-established in the precepts,
truly deserves the ochre robe.

– The Buddha (Dhammapada)

I appreciate the custom in Thailand, so I’ve heard, of how monks have to remove their robes before going on trial in the court of law, and only when they are proven to be not guilty are they allowed to don the robes again. It is clear that one who goes on trial does not shame the true monastic community, or the good name of the Buddhadharma, that an unenlightened being’s faults do not represent the pristine integrity of those dedicated within the monastic order. When you see a guilty monk clinging to his robes while going on trial and being proven guilty, it is probably a sign of clinging to one’s monastic status, while having few, if any qualms, about ‘destroying’ the image of Buddhism.

A genuine monk should have devotion to Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha;
confidence in the law of karma [and thus practises morality];
sincerity in following the Buddhist teachings; and compassion for all beings.
Monks lacking in any of these qualities are monks in name only.
In fact, they are imposters and deceive their devoted followers.

– H.H. the 17th Karmapa