Adhering to Uniforms

When I cut my hair short and wear brownish shirts and go to Dharma occasions or centres, people often ask if I’m a monk. This is funny because monks wear robes and I don’t. The colour I wear does not really closely resemble that of any monastic tradition too.

It struck me that this common mistaking or uncertainty is partially due to monastics dressing non-uniformly. If monastics of various traditions adhere strictly to their formal uniforms, cases of mistaken identity would not occur – because all others who resemble them but are not dressed accordingly will simply be seen as non-monastics.

A uniform loses its purpose if not uniformly adhered to. Unfortunately, some monastics dress sloppily due to lack of discipline. Then again, as a disclaimer, maybe they are not real monastics – which is why they are dressed so. In short, I hope all monastics dress properly, and that fake monastics don’t even try to mimic them, and remain sloppy, so that they can be easily differentiated!

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