Why do monks wear robes of different colors?
The bright yellow or orange-colored robes are usually worn by monks living in monasteries situated in villages, towns and cities. The darker colored robes are usually worn by monks from forest monasteries.
Most monks nowadays wear robes made of synthetic material. These robes are produced commercially in a variety of colors, bought by lay Buddhists, and then offered to monks. In most monasteries a set color is prescribed, but in some monasteries monks are free to wear whatever colored robe is offered to them, provided it lies within acceptable boundaries.
Forest monastery monk
In many forest monasteries monks still sew their own robes and dye them with color extracted from the heartwood of the jackfruit tree. The color of these robes varies according to the color of the wood used (which varies from a golden color through to orange-red), and to the age of the robe (which is only ever washed in a diluted solution of the dye, a weak astringent, and gets darker as it ages).
More questions and answers HERE
Source:
- Without and Within – Ajahn Jayasaro
Ryokan Says
Here, Ajahn Jayasaro makes reference to the Theravada tradition, there is no need to say that in others schools of Buddhism the robes are different. However within Theravada Buddhism tradition, the Burmese monks present a particular difference in the color of their robes, featuring a maroon color. This difference is due a cultural transition in the costumes (I don’t know the particular reason of this).
Burmese monks
In the next picture from the 50’s we can see the traditional orange color being used by Burmese monks:
Photography from LIFE magazine, in March 1955
Additional to this, there are paints from the Burmese dynasty where the monks were depicted with the traditional bright yellow color robes.
~Ryokan
