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- KESA
The Elegance of Japanese Monk/ Robej
Description of Kesa
The kasaya (kesa in Japanese) is a large length of material of rectangular or trapezoidal shape, with a rough ratio of three-to-five, vertical to horizontal. It is a monastic overcostume and is worn like a cape or shawl usually draped diagonally over the left shoulder and under the right armpit. Sometimes it was draped over both shoulders. However, there were variations on the man�ner of wearing the kesa amongst the numerous sects of Buddhism. The most characteristic aspect of the kesa is it's surface which is made up of multiple pieces in a patchwork manner that has the appearance of being strictly orga�nized. The surface is divided in a vertical manner into bands or columns. The kesa had a variety of attachment methods including straps, cords, rings and hooks to keep it in place when worn.
The kasaya, or kesa, had its origin in southern Asia. By tradition it is sup�posed to symbolize the simple tattered and patched garment of the historical Buddha, Sakyamuni (probably lived between 563 and 483 bc). According to a Buddhist monk's vows of poverty, his costume should also be made of rags. In ancient times, mendicant monks picked up discarded scraps of cloth in the street, then cleaned them and quilted them together. As many as forty-eight small pieces were patched together, as this was the traditional number as�cribed to Buddha's robe. Early Buddhist art did not include depictions of the Buddha and therefore no early material evidence exists on the appearance of his robe. One of the earliest statues of Buddha from Mathura, an ancient kingdom in north India, dates to the second century ad. and shows him wearing a kasaya (kesa) of high rank.
Very early in time, the kesa was formalized to differentiate and identify the wearer as a member of a certain sect, and in this specialized form, it spread from India throughout central, south and east Asia being worn by proselytiz�ing Buddhist missionaries. In many regions like Central Asia, Tibet, China, Korea and eventually Japan, the kesa proved to be a rather impracticable garment, but was retained for its symbolic significance and worn over top of
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