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New Plum Village Monastic Fashion

Agen, France
October 13th, 2014
To my beloved children across the world,
Today our monastic community is practicing and teaching all over the world. We have over
1000 monastics belonging to more than 30 nationalities, and many of our young monastics
are from the West. As an international delegation we need to consider the way we dress: how
we design our robes, our shoes, and our hats. It is long overdue for us to think about this.
As an international monastic community, we need to have a more western style and
appearance. Everyone is becoming more international, and therefore we too need to be more
international. Yet as a monastic community, and one rooted in the Vietnamese tradition, there
are still certain essential elements we need to preserve.
Most importantly, we have the yellow sanghati robe, the long brown robe (o trng and
nht bnh), the brown under robes (vt h) and the straw hat (nn l). The straw hat, alms
bowl and long brown robe are recognised around the world. When someone sees a monastic
wearing these, they know that the monastic has his or her roots in the Vietnamese tradition.
We have organised alms round processions in many cities around the world, and the
image of the straw hat, the alms bowl, and the long brown robe is cherished by many
Buddhist practitioners from all continents. Seeing these images, people instantly think of the
practices in our tradition. Unfortunately in Vietnam today there are many Buddhist monastics
who dress in colorful yellow robes, and the familiar image of the traditional long brown robes,
representing the simplicity of rural life, is now disappearing.

The straw hat, even though it is beautiful, is quite bulky, and so many monks and nuns
tend to prefer wearing the cloth fishermans style hat. We should design a monastic hat similar
to that, for both monks and nuns to wear.
The headscarf worn by the nuns originates in northern Vietnam, and in the past monks in
the north would also wear such a headscarf in the cold weather. This brown headscarf is very
simple and very beautiful, and we should keep it.

First of all, we now need to design a pair of robes for the monks and nuns to wear during
working meditation. We should not wear the long robes (o trng or nht bnh) when working.
The new work robes should be short and simple, and the sleeves should be short enough
not to get in the way while working. Whether we are mowing the lawn, working in the garden,
cooking, washing, cleaning, watering the plants, chopping wood, hoeing the grounds, mixing
cement, or driving tractors and trucks we neednt wear our long robes. It is very
inconvenient. We should remove our long robes and change into work robes before we start
working. When we finish, we should change out of our work robes, take a shower or clean our
hands and feet, and then put our long robes back on.
On days when the monks travel to work in the nuns hamlets or when the nuns travel to
work in the monks hamlet, we should of course wear the long robes when traveling.
However, we should change out of our long robes and into our work robes before we start
working. To design unisex work robes that are practical, simple and beautiful, would be
invaluable.
Now for the shoes. We all know that monastic shoes should not be made out of leather. We
need new unisex fabric canvas shoes that are beautiful, yet simple, practical, and comfortable.
This pair of shoes should be really new, and we shouldnt copy a style that has already been
used in past traditions. We should design a new style of shoes with a more international
appearance.
Next we need to look into swimwear for the monks and nuns. Thy remembers that in India
during the time of the Buddha, monks would often bathe in the rivers, lakes, hot springs, and even in
the rain. The nuns would also do the same.
Reading the Samidhi sutra we see the classic image of the young bhikshu Samidhi. On a hot summer
morning he went to river, took off his robes, left them on the bank, and jumped into the river to bathe.
After bathing he went back to the bank, and stood there until his body was dry, and he could put his
robes back on. But by that time there were other people at the river bank, perhaps also women. In the
case of the monk Samidhi, there was a deva. She approached him and asked why, as a young man
whose hair is still black, he has shaved his head, turned his back on worldly life to seek happiness
somewhere in the future, while other young people are indulging in the many kinds of happiness in the
present moment.

What if, at that moment, the Venerable Samidhis body wasnt dry yet, and so he hadnt put
his robes back on? If he hadnt yet put his robes back on, that would have been very
inconvenient. Who wouldnt feel embarrassed? The Venerable Samidhi on this occasion
would have definitely needed swimwear so he could bathe at ease in the river, ocean, lakes,
and rain. The same is true for the nuns.
We do not know if the layman Anathapindika ever thought about designing swimwear for
the monks. But we know that the laywomen Visakha, known as Migaras Mother
(Migramta), a great supporter of the bhikshuni sangha at Migramtupsda Monastery
near the town of Savatthi, had thought about it. She supported the nuns sangha just as the
layman Anathapindika supported the monks, and the nuns looked upon her as a mother.
One day she came to visit the nuns monastery in a heavy rainshower, and she saw the
nuns bathing in the rain without a scrap of cloth on their bodies. Seeing this, she had the
aspiration to offer the nuns towels and clothes to wear when bathing in the rain. The Buddhas
monastic sangha had many young people, and our monastic sangha today is similar.
Usually after the retreats, the monks and nuns have the opportunity to go to the beach, the
lake, or the river to practice walking meditation, sitting meditation, exercise or sports, and to
go swimming. Because we dont have any swimwear we keep our short robe on and jump into
the water. It is very inconvenient and can even be very dangerous. Thats why we have to
design swimwear for monks and nuns.
If, at the monastery where were currently residing, we know of a lay friend with the skills
and talent to design the work robes, shoes, hat, or swimwear for the monastics, then we
should ask that person to help. Helping the sangha in this task is an invaluable contribution. It
is a worthy task that will create great benefit and merit for many generations.
From the many designs put forward, we would choose one style for the working robes, one
style for the hat, and a pair of shoes that is convenient, simple, and comfortable. After we
have chosen the styles we will order them to be made and distributed to our entire
international sangha, even to those currently in Vietnam. Thy will also follow suit along with
all his students.
Thy hopes that you all can realise this as soon as possible.
Your Teacher,
Nht Hnh

Thit k trang phc cho xut s

Agen Php
Ngy 13 thng 10 nm 2014
Thng gi cc con ca Thy khp ni,
Cng ng xut s ca chng ta ang tu hc v hnh o trn th gii by gi ng trn c ngn
ngi v gm c hn 30 quc tch, trong c nhiu thy v s c tr cc nc ty phng. Chng ta
ang l mt tng on quc t, nn cch n mc, cch thit k y phc, giy, nn phi c ngh ti.
Hm nay ngh ti cng chm ri. L mt cng ng xut s quc t, chng ta phi c dng dp quc
t trn phng din hnh thc. V tt c u ang ton cu ho, nn chng ta cng phi ton cu ho.
Tuy nhin cng ng xut s ca chng ta v c ngun gc t truyn thng Vit Nam, cho nn chng ta
cn phi gi li t nht nhng yu t cn bn ca truyn thng y.
Trc ht l chic y tng gi l mu vng, chic o trng, chic o nht bnh v chic o vt h mu
nu, chic bnh bt nh v chic nn l. Chic nn l ny, cng vi chic bnh bt v chic o trng nu
tr thnh mt hnh nh quen thuc trn th gii. Ai trng thy hnh nh y th bit rng y l
nhng v xut s pht gio c ngun gc truyn thng Vit Nam.
Chng ta t chc l c pht kht thc nhiu thnh ph trn th gii. Cho nn hnh nh chic
nn l, bnh bt v chic o trng nu tr nn thn thng i vi cc pht t trn th gii. Thy
nhng hnh nh , ngi ta lin tng ti nhng php mn tu hc ca truyn thng chng ta. Tuy
nhin, hin gi trong nc cc v xut s Vit Nam mang nhiu mu sc qu, nht l mu vng, do
hnh nh thn thng ca chic o trng mu nu truyn thng tng trng cho np sng bnh d ca
i sng dn qu gn nh thiu vng.
Chic nn l tuy p nhng hi cng knh nn c khi cc thy, cc s c hay chn mt ci nn
bng vi kiu tai bo. Chng ta cng nn thit k mt ci nn nh vy chung cho c hai phi. Chic
khn nu m cc s c cht l c ngun gc t min Bc Vit Nam. Ngy xa cc thy min Bc cng
cht khn tng t nh vy v kh hu ngoi kh lnh. Chic khn ny rt n gin m rt p,
chng ta nn gi cho c chic khn nu .
By gi y, trc ht ta phi ngh chuyn thit k mt chic o cho cc thy v cc s c s dng
trong khi chp tc. Khng nn mc o trng hay o nht bnh trong khi chp tc. o chp tc phi
ngn, phi gn v tay o khng di ng b vng trong khi lm vic. Ct c, lm vn, nu n, ra
dn, ti rau, ca cy, cuc t, trn xi mng, li my cy hay xe truck... mnh u cn phi mc o
trng hay o nht bnh, rt bt tin. Ta phi ci o trng, o nht bnh ra, mc o chp tc vo ri mi

lm vic. Lm xong th ci o chp tc ra ri i tm gi hoc ra chn tay, sau mi mc o trng

hay o nht bnh tr li.
Vo ngy m cc thy ti chp tc ni tr x ca cc s c hay cc s c ti chp tc ni tr x
ca cc thy, c nhin l mnh phi mc o trng hoc o nht bnh khi ti. Nhng khi bt u chp
tc th phi thay o trng hoc o nht bnh bng y phc chp tc. Nu mnh thit k (design) mt loi
o chp tc cho tht tin nghi v n gin v c th c s dng cho c hai phi (unisex) th rt qu.
Ti v mnh rt mun p.
Tip n l giy. C nhin l giy ca ngi xut s khng c lm bng cc cht liu ly t da th
vt. Chng ta cn mt loi giy vi tht p, cng n gin, c tin nghi, mang vo thy thoi mi, c
th dng chung cho c hai phi. i giy ny phi tht s mi, khng nn m phng theo mt kiu
c sn trong nhng truyn thng lu i. Ta phi thit k mt kiu giy mi c tnh cch quc t.
Tip n l o tm cho cc thy, cc s c. Thy nh ngy xa n vo thi ca Bt, cc thy
tm sng, tm h, tm sui nc nng v tm di ma nhiu lm. Cc s c cng vy. c kinh
Samidhi (Tam Di ) ta thy hnh nh thy Samidhi l mt hnh nh in hnh. Bui sng ma h nng
nc, thy ra b sng, ci b y o, li trn b v li xung sng tm. Tm xong thy ln li trn b,
ng i cho mnh my kh ri mi mc y o tr li. Nhng lc y b sng c ngi ri, m c th
li l ngi n na ch.Trong trng hp thy Samidhi l mt c thin n. C ti gn, hi thy l
ti sao tc cn xanh, tui cn tr m li co b ru tc, xoay lng li vi cuc i v i tm mt th
hnh phc no trong tng lai, trong khi tui tr ang hng th bao nhiu th hnh phc ngay
trong hin ti. Ta th hi lc , mnh my thy Samidhi kh cha v thy mc y o vo cha?
Nu cha th tht l bt tin. Ai m khng cm thy lng tng. Thy Samidhi thi nay c nhin cn
mt chic o tm c th s dng khi tm sng, tm bin, tm h v tm nc ma.
Cc s c cng vy. Khng bit ng Cp C c c ngh ti chuyn thit k o tm cho cc thy ln
no khng. Nhng b Lc Mu (Visakha) cng gi l Migara's Mother (Migramta), ngi ng h
gio on n kht s ti tu vin Migramtupsda gn thnh ph Savatthi ca cc s c th c. B l
ngi ym tr ni chng cng nh ng Cp C c l ngi ym tr cc thy. Cc s c thng xem
b l mt b m. Mt hm b ti thm tu vin cc s c trong khi tri ma rt ln, v thy cc s c
ang tm di ma m khng c mt mnh g che thn. Cho nn b mi pht tm cng dng
cc s c khn tm v o tm. Tng on xut s thi Bt c rt nhiu ngi tr, v tng on xut s
chng ta ngy nay cng vy.
Thng thng sau nhng kho tu, cc thy hoc cc s c cng c c hi i ra bi bin hoc b
h hay b sng thin hnh, ngi thin, thc tp mi ng tc chnh nim v ai cng rt mun
c tm. V cc v khng c o tm cho nn c nguyn o nht bnh hoc o vt h m li xung
nc. iu ny rt bt tin v c khi nguy him na. l l do khin ta phi thit k mt chic o
tm cho cc thy v cc s c.

Ti trung tm tu hc mnh ang c tr, nu cc con bit c mt pht t c kh nng thit k y

phc chp tc, giy, m v o tm cho cc v xut s th xin v y gip lm cng vic ny cho mnh. Cng
c v lng. Chng ta s chn trong cc kiu c v y mt kiu y phc chp tc, mt kiu m,
mt i giy va tin nghi, va n gin m ta ng nht, sau mi nh sn xut v em ra s
dng cho c tng on quc t chng ta, k c cc v ang c mt ti Vit Nam. Thy s mc theo cc
con cho ging.
Thy mong cc con ca thy thc hin iu ny cng sm cng tt.

Thy ca cc con
Nht Hnh