NEW: OFFERING OF MONK ROBES!
(By Tsem Rinpoche and Phng Li Kim, CEO of Kechara Media & Publications)
* For the Chinese translation, click here.
In 2006, His Eminence Tsem Rinpoche led 63 pilgrims to offer 3,000 Manjushri statues and full sets of robes to 3,000 monks of Gaden Monastery, the main monastery of the Gelugpa school in South India (video below). It is extremely meritorious to offer robes to monks. Many monks in the monasteries only have 1-2 sets of robes, a bag and a few books as part of their personal possessions.
Young monks with their Manjushri statue and monk’s robes, offered by His Eminence Tsem Rinpoche and Kechara
The 3-piece monk/nun robe that they wear every day symbolises their renunciation from all worldly pleasures. It also represents the vows and commitments that the ordained monk/nun holds.
I’m very happy to be to share this with Rinpoche’s friends and students, that Kechara will be letting everyone have the blessed opportunity to offer monk/nun robes to the sangha. Now with Chinese New Year coming up, it is most auspicious to offer in order to set a spiritual tone for the rest of the year! Of course robes should be offered all year round and on many special occasions. For example, birthdays, Kuan Yin Days, Saga Dawa, Wesak Day, Tsongkhapa Day, Dakini Day, Guru Rinpoche Day, or on your parent’s birthdays.
Please feel free to read up on the write-up below to find out the benefits of offering monk robes and how to offer!
We at Kechara House are always looking for opportunities to support the sangha, help you generate spiritual luck/merits and to bring Dharma to many. It is our great pleasure and honour to be able to provide robes and necessities to sangha members. Remember, this is an on going event we can offer again and again.
Thank you!
Li Kim
CEO of Kechara Media and Publications
Offering robes
Robes are the clothes of a monk or nun (the Sangha). They are considered to be one of the most holy belongings of an ordained person, as it shows their dedication to the spiritual path and their love for the welfare of mother sentient beings.
The essential set of Tibetan Buddhist monk robes consists of three pieces which are:
- Donka: a shirt with cap sleeves. This can be fully maroon in colour with blue piping, or maroon and yellow with blue piping
- Shamthap: a maroon skirt
- Zen: an outer maroon shawl to cover the Donka
For the ordained person
The tradition of wearing robes has been passed down from the founder of Buddhism, Shakyamuni Himself. Wearing the robes represents the vows and commitments that an ordained person holds. In other words, the robes represent the Vinaya, which is the root of all of Buddha’s teachings.
The Buddha taught that by holding the vows of the Vinaya, monks and nuns take on the responsibility to benefit others with the Dharma. Wearing the robes reflects the commitment of an ordained person to bring happiness and comfort, and to relieve the sufferings of sentient beings. So every day a monk or nun continues to don the robes and hold their vows is another day they create immeasurable merit for themselves and their sponsors.
When we offer items such as robes to the Sangha, our support for them creates the causes for the Dharma to remain. In making sincere offerings, we also create the causes for an abundance of spiritual and material wealth for ourselves.
For you, the practitioner
Through the virtue of the monks upholding their vows and helping sentient beings, the ordained Sangha become a source of inspiration for others who are seeking spiritual solace.
When we offer items such as robes to the Sangha, our support for them creates the causes for the Dharma to remain. In making sincere offerings, we also create the causes for an abundance of spiritual and material wealth for ourselves.
Thus, to seek help for and to sponsor the Sangha creates immeasurable positive results for both our secular and spiritual life – the happiness and fulfillment we gain from making such offerings is unmatched to the results of any other altruistic contributions we can otherwise make.
Please join us in supporting the Sangha of Gaden Monastery through the works of H.E. Tsem Rinpoche. It is due to the kindness of these holy monks and nuns that we are able to receive the Dharma today. Sangha members commit their lives to following the path of the perfect Buddha by putting others’ needs above theirs.
Join us in creating the causes for the growth of Dharma, and for the happiness and peace that you will gain in your own lives.
For more information, please contact the Kechara House Front Desk at (Tel) +603 7803 3908 or (Email) care@kechara.com. If you wish, you can also make your offering online via VajraSecrets: http://www.vajrasecrets.com/offerings-to-sangha
SIX PARAMITA SETS
1) WISDOM SET – RM988
- Donka (Upper robe)
- Shamthap (Lower robe)
- Ngullen (Inner shirt)
- Long Zen (Long shawl)
- Short Zen (Short shawl)
- Chogo (Novice robe)
- Namjar (Bikshus robe)
- Dingwa (Monk seat)
2) MEDITATION SET – RM788
- Donka (Upper robe)
- Shamthap (Lower robe)
- Ngullen (Inner shirt)
- Chogo (Novice robes)
- Long Zen (Long shawl)
- Short Zen (Short shawl)
3) PERSEVERANCE SET – RM488
- Donka (Upper robe)
- Shamthap (Lower robe)
- Ngullen (Inner shirt)
- Long Zen (Long shawl)
4) PATIENCE SET – RM288
- Donka (Upper robe)
- Shamthap (Lower robe)
5) ETHICS SET – RM88
- Long Zen (Long shawl)
6) GENEROSITY SET – RM68
- Short Zen (Short shawl)
**Prices are subject to change pending on quality, quantity and supplier.**
THE INDIVIDUAL PIECES
1. Donka (Upper robe)
2. Shamthap (Lower robe)
3. Ngullen (Inner shirt)
4. Long Zen (Long shawl)
5. Short Zen (Short shawl)
6. Chogo (Novice robe)
7. Namjar (Bhikshu’s robe)
8. Dingwa (Monk seat)
Journey to Gaden Monastery
Auspicious Days in 2013 to Offer Robes
January 19, 2013: Enlightenment Day of Buddha Shakyamuni
February 10, 2013: Chinese New Year/ The day Maitreya Buddha was born
February 8 or 15, 2013: Parinirvana, or Nirvana Day (Mahayana)
February 14-25, 2013: Monlam Chenmo (Great Prayer Festival; Gelugpa Tibetan)
February 25, 2013: Magha Puja (Sangha Day; Theravada)
February 25, 2013: Chunga Choepa (Butter Lamp Festival, Tibetan)
March 30, 2013: Magha Puja (Sangha Day; Theravada) / The Day Kuan Yin Was Born
March 31, 2013: The Day Samantabhadra Bodhisattva’s Was Born
April 8, 2013: Hanamatsuri (Buddha’s Birthday, Japan)
April 13-16, 2013: Water Festivals (Bun Pi Mai, Sonkran; Southeast Asia)
May 13, 2013: The Day Manjushri Was Born
May 17, 2013: Seokga Tansinil (Buddha’s Birthday, South Korea)
May 24, 2013: Vesak (Buddha’s Birth, Enlightenment and Death, Theravada)
May 25, 2013: Saga Dawa (Birth, Enlightenment, Death of Buddha, Tibetan)
July 6, 2013: Birthday of His Holiness the Dalai Lama
July 12, 2013: Chokhor Duchen (Tibetan)
July 13, 14, 15, 2013: Obon (Japan, regional)
July 22, 2013: Asalha Puja; Beginning of Vassa (Theravada)
July 26, 2013: The Day Kuan Yin Gained Enlightenment
August 7 to September 4 2013: Zhongyuan (Seven Month Festival/Ullambana Festival, China)
August 13, 14, 15, 2013: Obon (Japan, regional)
September 4, 2013: The Day Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva Was Born
October 19, 2013: Pavarana and End of Vassa (Theravada)
October 23, 2013: The Day Kuan Yin Renounced To Become A Nun
October 24, 2013: The Day H.E. Tsem Rinpoche Was Born
November 3, 2012: The Day That Medicine Buddha Was Born
November 17, 2013: Anapanasati Day (Theravada)
November 24, 2013: Lhabab Duchen (Tibetan)
December 8, 2013: Rohatsu (Enlightenment of the Buddha, Japan)
December 19, 2013: The Day Amitabha Was Born
今日就供养袈裟！
（詹杜固仁波切和克切拉媒体出版社执行长方丽金撰写）
2006年，尊贵的詹仁波切带领63位朝圣者到南印度的格鲁派主要寺院——甘丹寺 （请观看以下视频）供养3000尊文殊菩萨像和全套的僧衣袈裟予3000名甘丹寺僧人。对在家人而言，供养僧衣袈裟能使我们获得无量的功德。寺院里许多僧众所拥有的，仅是一两件袈裟、一个袋子和几本书籍。
僧众们每天身穿的三件僧衣袈裟，象征着他们放弃所有世俗的欢乐，同时也代表着僧众们持守的戒律和誓愿。
我很高兴能与仁波切的朋友及弟子们分享这一件事——克切拉将让人人都有供养僧众们袈裟的殊胜机会。在农历新年来临之际做供养， 为接下来的365天讨个殊胜的彩头是最殊胜不过的事了。当然我们能在全年中及多个特别的日子供养袈裟，例如生日、观音诞、萨嘎达瓦节、卫塞节、宗喀巴日、空行母日、莲花生大士日、或者我们父母的生日。
我们为您列出供养袈裟的利益，以及做供养的方式。
在克切拉，我们一直寻求供养僧众、协助您累积功德，以及将佛法弘扬十方的机会。我们非常高兴和荣幸能够给僧众们供养袈裟及必需品。别忘了这是持续性的项目，我们可以不断地给僧众们做供养。
谢谢！
丽金
克切拉媒体出版社执行长
供养袈裟
袈裟是僧人或僧尼（僧众）的衣服。他们被公认为出家人最神圣的物件之一，因为它显示了他们对修行的奉献和他们对众生福利的慈悲关怀。
藏传佛教僧众的基本三件僧衣包括：
- 僧服 (Donka)：有帽袖的衬衫。这可以是褐红色以及蓝边，或褐红色以及黄边
- 僧裙 (Shamthap)：褐红色的裙子
- 袈裟 (Zen)：褐红色的披肩,覆盖东卡
对于受戒的人
穿袈裟的传统自佛教创始人释迦牟尼佛一直流传下来。身着袈裟代表一位出家人持修的戒律和誓愿。换句话说，袈裟代表毘奈耶（律），即是所有佛陀教诲的根本。
佛陀阐明通过戒律，僧众负起通过佛法造福他人的责任。穿袈裟反映一位出家人为众生带来宽慰和安乐，以及救度受苦众生的誓愿。所以僧人和僧尼每一天继续穿上袈裟以及维持他们的誓言，那就是为自己和他们的施主创造无量功德的一天。
对于修行者
通过持戒和帮助众生的美德，僧众们成为寻求精神慰藉人们的激励者。
当我们为僧众供养袈裟，我们的护持制造了佛法长久住世的善因。以虔诚之心做供养，将会为我们带来世俗和灵修生活的富裕。
因此，为僧众寻求协助以及布施僧团，将为我们的世俗和精神生活创造不可思议的成果—从供养中得到的法喜和满足感，是在其他世俗慈善事业中所得不到的。
请加入我们，通过詹杜固仁波切的佛法事业支持甘丹寺僧众。我们今天能够听闻佛法也是因为神圣的僧众们的慈悲。僧团奉献生命跟随佛陀的脚印以及把别人的需要放在第一位。
请参与我们延续佛陀教法、广种福田的善举。
更多详情，请致电到克切拉佛教中心前台+603 7803 3908，或电邮到 care@kechara.com。你也可以透过VajraSecrets在网络做供养：http://www.vajrasecrets.com/offerings-to-sangha
六度配套
1) 智慧配套 – RM988
- 僧衣
- 僧裙
- 里衣
- 长披肩
- 短披肩
- 沙弥僧袍
- 比丘僧袍
- 僧侣坐垫
2) 禅定配套 – RM788
- 僧衣
- 僧裙
- 里衣
- 沙弥僧袍
- 长披肩
- 短披肩
3) 精进配套 – RM488
- 僧衣
- 僧裙
- 里衣
- 长披肩
4) 忍辱配套 – RM288
- 僧衣
- 僧裙
5) 持戒配套 – RM88
- 长披肩
6) 布施配套 – RM68
- 短披肩
**价格会因质量、数量和供应商而会有所变动。**
个别项目
1. 上服
2. 下服
3. 里衣
4. 长披肩
5.短披肩
6. 沙弥僧袍
7. 比丘僧袍
8. 僧侣坐垫
甘丹之旅
2013年的供养袈裟吉祥日
2013年1月19日 释迦牟尼佛成道日
2013年2月10日 农历新年/ 弥勒佛诞
2013年2月8日或15日 佛陀圆寂，或涅槃日（大乘）
2013年2月14-25日 Monlam 法会 （祈愿法会，藏传格鲁派）
2013年2月25日 Magha法会（僧伽日; 小乘）
2013年2月25日 Chunga Choepa（酥油灯节，西藏）
2013年3月30日 Magha法会（僧伽日;上座部佛教）/ 观音诞
2013年3月31日 普贤菩萨诞
2013年4月8日 Hanamatsuri（日本佛诞）
2013年4月13-16日 Sonkran（泰国泼水节，东南亚）
2013年5月13日 文殊菩萨诞
2013年5月17日 Seokga Tansinil（韩国佛诞）
2013年5月24日 卫塞节（佛陀诞生、成道和涅磐，小乘）
2013年5月25日 萨嘎达娃（诞生、成道、涅磐，藏传佛教）
2013年7月6日 法王达赖喇嘛的生日
2013年7月12日 Chokhor Duchen（藏传佛教）
2013年7月13,14,15日 盂兰盆节（日本地区）
2013年7月22日 Asalha法会（小乘）
2013年7月26日 观音诞
2013年8月7日至9月4日 中元节（盂兰盆节，中国）
2013年8月13日,15日 盂兰盆节（日本地区）
2013年9月4日 地藏菩萨诞
2013年10月19日 Pavarana和Vassa完结（小乘）
2013年10月23日 观音出家日
2013年10月24日 詹杜固仁波切诞
2013年11月3日 药师佛诞
2013年11月17日 Anapasti日（小乘）
2013年11月24日 Lhabab Duchen（藏传佛教）
2013年12月8日 Rohatsu（佛陀成道，日本）
2013年12月19日 阿弥陀佛的诞生日
For more interesting information:
- The Promise – Tsem Rinpoche’s inspiring biography now in ebook format!
- My Previous incarnation
- Tsem Rinpoche’s heritage in China
- Tsem Rinpoche’s Torghut Ancestry | 詹杜固仁波切的土尔扈特血统
- My Childhood in Taiwan…Revisiting…
- My Short Bio in Pictures
- It Wasn’t Easy in New Jersey, but My Cousins/Aunts Helped…
- Fotomat and Me | 我和Fotomat
- Tsem Rinpoche in an American ‘Tantric Dress’!!!
- Kyabje Zong Rinpoche Cuts My Hair
- I’m Requesting Ordination in 1987
- Why I Conceived of Kechara Soup Kitchen or KSK
- How Geshe Tsultrim Gyeltsen changed my life
- The Cowshed That Was My Home in Gaden
- Kyabje Zong Rinpoche with Lama Yeshe and Geshe Tsultrim Gyeltsen
- Dharma Work, Attitude & TDL | 佛法工作、态度及图登达杰林佛法中心
- Geshe Tsultrim Gyeltsen’s special thangka | 属于格西簇亲格而辛的非凡唐卡
- My Precious Kyabje Zong Rinpoche statue
- His Holiness Kyabje Zong Rinpoche’s Precious Teaching Collection
- Short sharing about Kyabje Zong Rinpoche | 关于嘉杰宋仁波切的简短分享 | ༧སྐྱབས་རྗེ་ཟོང་རྡོ་རྗེ་འཆང་གི་སྐོར་བགོ་འགྲེམས་མདོར་བསྡུས།
Please support us so that we can continue to bring you more Dharma:
If you are in the United States, please note that your offerings and contributions are tax deductible. ~ the tsemrinpoche.com blog team
Monk robes offering is the highest offering and the most meritorious of skillful deeds. The act of offering robes to the Sangha, one will be free from the suffering of hungry ghost realm and taking rebirth in the human form with complete perfect physical, attractive, conceivably pleasant and beautiful shape. Merits of offering robes to Sangha is extremely glorious. The Sangha has preserved, propagated and taught the teachings of the Buddha for centuries. As a result, millions have benefitted from their diligent effort and compassion, hence with understanding and gratitude, it is meritorious for us to offer robes to monks.
Thank you Rinpoche for this sharing.
Thank you, Rinpoche and Kechara, for this great opportunity for us to make offerings to the sangha community. It is extremely meritorious for lay people to contribute to the sangha community because the monks and nuns are steadfast in holding their vows, putting others ahead of them and committed to following the path of the Dharma. By doing so, they preserve Buddha’s Dharma, and the rest of us get to benefit from these great teachings from the Buddha.
Donation for robes really creates a lot merits.
It really a good donation for the robes. It cretes a lot merits.
We will continue to take rebirth for countless lifetime which is definitely will face many problems and sufferings due to our ignorance, desire and attachment in samsara. By learning dharma, we learn to accept, tolerance, integrity and many more qualities which help us to overcome our problems and reduce sufferings too.
Thank you for sharing this meaningful article so that we can understand there are so much benefits to make the offering of monk robes. This gave us opportunities to support for the monks, creates the causes for the Dharma to remain as well as creates the causes for an abundance of spiritual and material wealth for ourselves.
This makes me think of Rinpoche’s quotes before:
“In life, it’s not what you take or get or receive, it’s what you give.”
We should contribute more in dharma while we still can.
Simply aspiring! So much efforts, cares and love to the Gurus, Buddhas, Dharma and Sanghas. The practice of making sincere offerings to the 3 Jewels must be enforce because it helps to turn the wheel of Dharma and it’s going to benefit numberless of sentient beings.
Thank you Tsem Rinpoche and Kechara.
Thank you for sharing this information here. Due to Rinpoche’s compassion, we are given the opportunity to offer robes to the sangha community. Making robe offerings is so meritorious and precious because it provides a basic necessity for the sangha to continue their practice without the need to worry over it. Thank you Rinpoche for this chance to make connection with sangha and dharma. Otherwise it would be difficult for us to make robe offering since Gaden is a far away place from Malaysia.
Thank you for sharing this information about offering of robes.I could understand better now after reading.We are given the opportunity to collect merits by offering robes to the Sangha.
Thanks again Rinpoche and Li Kim
谢谢仁波切和Li Kim !
谢谢你们那么清楚的讲解关于袈裟和其种类 ! 让我更清楚的明白供养袈裟的功德和袈裟对一位僧人的含义与重要性 !
在还未参与克切拉佛教团体时, 我对供养僧人, 供养佛菩萨, 献花, 献酥油灯等等供养, 都一知半解, 要感谢詹仁波切在马来西亚创办克切拉佛教团体, 提供各种的佛法开示和上师的部落格这平台, 让我更加容易和方便的寻找之前对供养的疑问 ! 也让我了解供养袈裟的吉祥日子 !
希望大家也可以藉此机会, 为自己或心爱的人做供养, 累积功德, 以虔诚之心做供养，会为我们带来世俗和灵修生活的富裕, 还可以为帮忙僧人救度受苦众生 !
愿上师健康长寿, 常转法轮, 吉祥如意 !
感恩合十
Yeo Kwai Gin
How do I order correct size ?
1) WISDOM SET – RM988 (USD$320)
Donka (Upper robe)
Shamthap (Lower robe)
Ngullen (Inner shirt)
Long Zen (Long shawl)
Short Zen (Short shawl)
Chogo (Novice robe)
Namjar (Bikshus robe)
Dingwa (Monk seat)
small pieces of cloth so important every fibre every stitch, we can not change the past nor can we change any word that was spoken however David i ask in humility why was the last pope made a saint at a time when boys were being entered with long probus? David it is also happening in Buddhist monestaries ask the Kalu Rinpoche? The sogyal rinpoche has lots to report with bi bi , turning a bling eye now is unsatisfactory
感谢师父詹杜固仁波切
因为倘若没有师父，给予教诲与开示 ，并成立了克切拉佛教中心，我们就没有机会对佛法了解的更深，在我还没接触到克切拉与师父时，完全不明白与了解，原来供养僧侣是有着如此殊胜的功德的，并且师父成立了不同的部门，更是让我们轻而易举的方便，马上能有供养僧侣的机会机缘，并且提供了不同的选择给我们，即使我们不是很有能力，但依然能从小的供养开始，我相信只要带着很好的发心供养，也能为我们种下一个很深的佛法印记与种子
感谢师父，祈愿师父长驻在世，常转法轮
Offering robes to Sangha is back … Don’t miss this chance ,this is so meritorious .Everyone bought new shirts for celebrate New Year , monk/nun also need new shirt too . Is time to sponsor monk robes for Sangha now .
Thank you very much for the sharing of this precious info. Making offering to the sangha is so meritorious and I truly love it very much. We need Dharma, Dharma needs us.
Rinpoche said this to us the other day, about the powerful lives and dedication of monks and nuns:
“Everything you have, the monks don’t have, but they have everything you want – peace, happiness, respect”.
It is so true – that they have none of the attachments we hanker after our whole lives – money, reputation, power, relationships, material things. And yet, they are happier than we ever are. When they have so little but give so much back to the world in their every meditation, action, speech and thought, it can only be something tremendously powerful for us to support this. They ask for nothing from us and by sponsoring just one of their most basic needs of clothing (or food, or shelter, or education), we make it possible for them to worry less about the mundane and more about creating waves of these powerfully positive energies that every single being in this world needs. If we keep saying we can’t be like them, then at least make it possible and easy for them to continue their practices and find incredible success in it. How fortunate we are in these times that even when we don’t want to do it, there are still opportunities for us to support it.
Thank you Rinpoche for forever finding ways for us to connect to these enlightened beings, thoughts, actions.
Thank You Rinpoche for giving us opportunity to make Robes offering to our fellow lamas of our mother temple, Gaden Monastery. Besides the benefits we will get by offering the robes, it is the best way for us to show our deepest respect to our Fellow Lamas of our mother temp, Gaden Monastery, for their commitment in the spiritual path as well as to spread the Buddha’s teaching to benefit others. I will play my part to offer a set even though I have only have a few sens in the pocket.
Thanks for the sharing. No doubt it will change the way to spend our money to splurge on virtuous deeds,benefit people in needs and collect merits along the way.Thank You.
The way I see it is that this dedicated spiritual practitioners and seekers of the truth vow not to be distracted to achieve the highest goal any being can ever strive for. Which is Buddhahood. Becoming a Buddha is becoming the champion of the universe, A champion against ignorance, a beacon of light for those who struggle amidst the waves and storms of samsaric existence.
Buddhas led many beings from the dark into the light, but Buddha was once a practitioner like these monks and nuns who have sworn to be undistracted in their practice. How courageous for them to swim against the norm and convention.
Rinpoche had related stories of some monks who have only one set of robes. So when the robes are being washed, the monk will not be able to attend classes or prayers and will stay in his room as he has no other set of robes to wear. Hence it is very good and meritorious that we offer robes to the Sangha. Without their Dharma teachings, we will never have the opportunity to study and practice Dharma. Rinpoche has kindly initiated many projects for us to contribute to help us collect merits. Thank you Rinpoche.
Thank you very much for sharing this precious information.
Thank you very much Li Kim for sharing this precious information. We are so fortunate to know about these auspicious day now. Rinpoche has so kindly give us the golden opportunity to collect merits by making offering to the Sangha. Thank you Rinpoche for giving us this meritorious opportunity.
This is another opportunity for us lay people to collect merits by offering robes to the Sangha in Gaden Monastery in India. For some of us, we may not be able to do so ourselves, but now Kechara has provided this service for us. This is one of the ways we can support the Sangha to continue their work in spreading the Dharma to people and bring happiness to all.
I have also taken this opportunity to offer robes to the Sangha and I know that I will continue to do so whenever I have the means to do so. Thank you Rinpoche and Li Kim.
Thnak you Rinpoche and Li Kim to sharing this wonderful news to all of us .We must grab this golden opportunity to make offerings to monks in monasteries at the different auspicious day ! I definitely
will sponsor to this great cause ,May all the sanghas continue to turn the Dharma Wheel !!
It is not easy for Malaysian to offer robe to Sangha, because in Malaysia, we are not exposed to this type of offering, what we used to know is only to give money, money and money… It is the most fundamental thing, but how many of us know that we can actually offer other thing to the monks? and in fact, we should offer more than just money to the Sangha.
Offering Robe to the Sangha is very Meritorious because we are creating the cause for the Dharma to continue to flourish, to create a cause for the Dharma to remain here for a very long time, so we can continue to learn and practice the Dharma.
It is because of Tsem Rinpoche, he brought these knowledge to us, he teaches us Dharma and how to collect more merits so we can practice Dharma longer.
Thank you Rinpoche.
非常高兴克切拉给信众们带来这样宝贵的机会。供僧是一个非常殊胜的举动，供养僧袍尤其重要。僧袍除了是出家人带着出离心，远离世俗一切烦恼的象征外，更是替僧侣遮风挡雨、免于日晒雨淋的衣服。僧袍对僧人而言是非常重要的。因此能供养僧袍，那是殊胜不过的。
我认识的几个同修告诉我，当他们到印度朝圣时，到了某个寺庙，他们都会买多件僧袍做供养。他们说那是一个必要。我们常想自己应该在一些“大日子”再做供养，其实不然。我们随时都能供养，如果天天都能做供养，那岂不是天天都是好天、大日子？纵使真是这样，以上也为我们列出了佛教中的大日子。从1月份直至12月份，总有一些日子适合我们做供养。因此，供养不必选定日子，行善也不必等明天，做个好人更应该立即就做。活在当下，就是这样。
The monk robes may appear to be simple, but the vows and commitments that comes with it definitely isn’t! After reading this post, I understand better now the significance of the robe and what it means to offer them. How fortunate for us to be able to offer robes and generate merits. Rinpoche is so kind to let us have this rare opportunity to do another type of offering! Thank you Li Kim and the people Kechara for organizing such a great cause and making it easier for us to make the offering!
Thank you for sharing, Rinpoche!
Wow! This is such an amazing and rare opportunity to give something useful to the sangha community. One collect tremendous amount of merits because we free them up from spending extra time to wash and clean the robes because of having not enough robes. Now the monks are well provided for they have more time to focus on their main spiritual practice and can attain realization of Dharma faster and thus be able to teach the Dharma to the community. Ultimately it is a form of support to sangha for them to continue to exist and for the Dharma to grow, Dharma to be taught to everyone and for us to be able to receive it now and in the future.
Love it! Such an interesting offering. You don’t even have to purposely walk into a temple to sponsor. It can even be done in some of Kechara departments at your comfort. Come to think of it… I want to sponsor a set every month and dedicate the merits to my family and friends. Thank you Li Kim for this wonderful update!
What an auspicious start to the Lunar New Year! Making offerings to monks is a common practice in the East and in Buddhist nations. How wonderful and meritorious that we can now contribute to such an age old tradition, right here in our own backyard!
The response has been amazing so far… Wonderful way to start the year!
Wow, the 1st day of Chinese New Year, that is 10 February, is doubly auspicious! It’s not only Chinese New Year, but it is also the day Maitreya Buddha was born! Giving robes to the Sangha on this and other days of Chinese New Year brings tremendous merits.
Monks’/Nuns’ robes symbolize the many vows and commitments that they hold. When we offer robes to the monks, our support for them creates the causes for the Dharma to remain. It creates causes for the Sangha to continue to grow ; and this in turn allows them to remain and to continue to turn the Wheel of Dharma.
What a happy coincidence that I honored my pledge to offer a set of monks’ robes to the Sangha on the first day of Chinese New Year. May it be dedicated to my parents’ swift good rebirth, where they will embrace the Dharma, meet a Spiritual Guide and be set on the Path to Enlightenment.
Thank you Rinpoche, Li Kim and all Kechara staff for providing this precious and meritorious knowledge for us to collect merits. It is a good opportunity for us to contribute and sponsor monk robes during this auspicious chinese new year.
All the good qualities that an ordained person has are from the vows they are taking, the works that they are doing and they did in the past. Support the sangha or the 3 Jewels is the best thing you can do to preserve the precious teachings of the Buddha.
And when people has problem or need help, they will go seek blessing from the sangha, and why sangha? Because we know clearly that this monk/nun is special and very different with us. After seeking blessings, they might feel better. This power of heal comes from the robes and who is wearing it. Sponsor monks is the best way to tell how sincere you are.
Wow! Thank you for coming up with so many methods for us to collect merits. It certainly is one of the most meritorious deed to sponsor a monk’s robes, it is after all one of the 8 most powerful noble acts. Just by sponsoring a monk’s robes, we are:
1) Supporting a monk to continue to be a monk
2) Supporting a monk so that he do not have to worry about mundane things, but can concentrate on his Dharma practice.
3) creating the causes for us to generate higher spiritual aspirations.
4) Supporting the Dharma to grow
5) Collecting tremendous amount of merits.
We are indeed very fortunate to have this program for everyone to get involved with supporting the monks in the monastery. Rinpoche has kindly made things so convenient for us to make offerings to the monks in the monastery.
Thank you for the write up! I will be in KL 19 – 21 February 2013 for business meetings. Plan to visit Kechara paradise outlet regarding the above.
Thank Li Kim provided this precious information and opportunity for people offering monk robe during different auspicious day to make offering.How meritorious!
I had an honor follow rinpoche to Gaden monastery during 2006 to make monk robe to 3000 sangha members. It was so beautiful seeing all the monk received their robe, so they can more robe to wear for their practice and holding their vows everyday. How meaningful and bless by the sangha members.
Dear LiKim,
I would like to ask, can someone sponsor the robes and dedicate the sponsoring to someone else as a gift?
Like on someone’s birthday, instead of giving that person a gift or ang pau, I sponsor a set of robes and dedicate the merits to the person.
When that is done, how do we let the person know. Would kechara have a receipt that is like a gift to let the birthday person know?
I find this to be a great gift on all occasions. Please advise. Thank you.
What an excellent idea, Datuk May. I am sure this is fine, for we can sponsor pujas and dedicate to someone else.This gift would be better than any material items that we can give our loved ones as the benefits are permanent. Perhaps we can have a specially designed gift certificate which should the sponsor wish, the sponsor can give to the person they are dedicating to.
Love this, to make an offering to the holy Sangha. Everyone should do this, to support the Sangha. May all the Sangha continues to turn the Dharma Wheel.
_/\_
Best Regards : Eric kksiow
It is very meritorious to make offerings to the Sangha and Rinpoche has so kindly given us the opportunity to do so. I will definitely sponsor towards this great cause.
Thank you so much Rinpoche , Li Kim and the team for giving us this wonderful opportunity to offer robes to the monks, and for us to be able to dedicate the merits to our deceased love ones, to our family and our pets.
I have just shown the article to my Filipina maid who immediately said she will also sponsor a set of robes , in dedication to her beloved father whose death anniversary is on 15th Feb.
Love and generosity transcends all religion and cultures and i am so glad that we have this opportunity to dedicate the merits to our ancestors and to the people (and animals ) that we love.
You must have spoken well and shown her by example of being a Buddhist for your maid to also have faith of how virtuous the life of ordained sangha members are. Therefore, by making offerings to them, we gain tremendous benefits. Thank you for sharing.
I was one of the fortunate pilgrims who was with the group to Gaden Shartse in 2006.
Last night, my family and I also had the fortune to make similar offerings to monks in monasteries.
May the dharma flourish.
Dear Li KIm,
Thank you for sharing this opportunity to sponsor monks robes. it is such a good way to accumulate merits for our loved ones. As soon as i heard about it, i sponsored a set and dedicated it to my parents. This is the best way to thank my parents for their kindness and care to me all my life. Any other gift i give to my parents would only benefit them in the short term but a sponsorship of such a meritorious extent will benefit them in all their future lives. Thank you to Rinpoche and Kechara for continuously creating opportunities for us to benefit ourselves and others.
I am so glad to be making this auspicious offering just before CNY hits and what a wonderful way to start the new year by making offerings to the sangha!!!
There is so much benefit and significance in offering monks robes as it is not just a piece of maroon cloth. It represents the monks or nuns vows and entire being of dedicating their entire life in service of others through Dharma. Also this is a wonderful way to educate Malaysians in this form of Dhana offering as we do not have a strong culture here yet. This is a great way to start encouraging people to be generous, they can even do this offering on behalf of their loved ones, sick ones and deceased ones and offer the merits to them. And in return gain so much benefits from it. Thank you for giving us this meritorious opportunity Rinpoche 🙂
WOW! This just in – already 20 people have offered robes!!! They’re doing it for Chinese New Year, as an auspicious start to their new year! 20 PEOPLE! But it’s not just CNY when you can offer the robes, you know?? You can offer for your birthday, for your pets so they come back as human beings (!!!), on behalf of your recently deceased loved ones, Wesak Day, because you’re going on a long journey and want to create merits for protection…or maybe because you think young monks are super cute, and you want them to have super cute mini robes hehehe
The last time I offered robes was at the Bodhgaya Mahabodhi Stupa when we had the opportunity to offer robes directly onto Buddha’s body. Since that statue is reputed to be the closest likeness to the Buddha, I visualised that I was offering to the Buddha Himself. It’s true what this post says about how there’s no greater happiness than offering robes. I remember how I felt on that day…bursting with happiness to see the Buddha clothed in swarthes of saffron. I know I’ll feel like that when I offer robes to any of the Three Jewels and well, all I wanna be is happy 🙂
I’d like to add that among the 20+ people who have already made their offerings is a little kid who has put his Chinese new year money / ang pow towards this. I think it’s wonderful that there are so many packages available so that even young kids can put their pocket money towards something positive, instead of just spending it on candy and playstation games!
And more good news to share: The three Nepalese boys in Haven, KB, Rajendra and Ram (who are Hindu, they’re not even Buddhist) have also collective made offerings towards these robes. So this is really something that anyone can contribute to. It’s a beautiful offering 🙂
Thank you to Rinpoche and the team who conceptualised this wonderful opportunity for sponsorship and collecting merits and for making it so accesible to laypeople here.
Hi. I am in Romania. Came upon this site and read through and found the ‘robe offering’. I am not sure how expensive they are or how many I can offer but it would make me very happy to at least do it with as much as I can at the moment so can you please advise on how I could send, buy them from or dimply donate? Thank you! and you can contact me at thecobaltroom@gmail.com. or the admin can advise on the e-mail I left here but doesn’t show for the public.
This is so meritorious! Thank you Rinpoche for providing us with an avenue to collect merits in relations to the beautiful Sangha of Gaden monastery. This blog post has very extensive explanations on the benefits of making robe offerings. All of us who are serious about our spiritual practice should indeed offer towards this fund as it is very meritorious to create causes for the Dharma to flourish and for us to hold our morality. I am definitely going to contribute.