3. Antaravasaka: also called five-paneled robe, inner garment, or undergarment which is worn for daily life activities and sleeping hours. It is sewn with five patches.

After Buddhism spread to China, due to the local custom and climate, the Three Robes are only worn during the Buddhist Services. At normal times, monastics only wear the long-robe (珧chang shan珣).

The method of making the Three Robes: First, to cut a piece of cloth into several pieces and then patch them together. Its origin was from Buddha when he saw rice paddies one day, he then said to Ananda, 珧The robes of all Buddhas in the past were like this. In the future, the robes should be made like this too.珣 When making the Three Robes, the patches that have been cut off were sewn in the form of the Chinese character 珧tian珣 (means field). It is called 珧robe of the field of merit{6}珣 presenting the meaning of allowing virtuous devotees to plant the field of merit. Since it is sewn by 珧cutting珣 and 珧sewing珣, it is also called 珧cutting robe.珣 It has three usages: 1. To prevent the Dharma robe from being used for other purposes; 2. To enable monks and nuns abandon their desires for clothing; 3. To prevent others from stealing it.

According to Zangyi Sutra{7} the kasaya has ten benefits：

〈1〉. It is the foremost mean to attain Bodhi; 〈2〉. Monastics are above human and heaven beings because they can cultivate whereas human and heaven beings are not able to cultivate; 〈3〉. Parents will make prostrations to their sons who are monastics; 〈4〉. The lion was killed by a hunter who shaved his head and wore the kasaya as it thought the hunter was a monastic and it should not hurt him.


【Key Words】

{6} robe of the field of merit：福田衣

{7} Zangyi Sutra：藏義經