clothing
Special religious clothing is not always visible. The Hebrew Bible
refers to an injunction to wear fringed garments (Num. 15.37–40). God
and Moses instruct Aaron and his sons to wear “holy garments” or
“linen breeches” (Exod. 28.1, 42). Jewish men don a four-cornered
cloth (tallit) with fringes around their shoulders when praying. The
fringes are intended to help a Jew remember the commandments of
God, whereas Assyrians and Babylonians believe that wearing gar-
ments with fringes possess talismanic power. Mormons wear a garment
of the holy priesthood that must touch the body throughout their lives
and not simply for ritual occasions. This garment is worn beneath a
person’s underwear and is thus not visible to others, whereas the aprons
worn by Freemasons are visible and often elaborately decorated, recall-
ing for them the protective garb of builders and the leaves and skins
worn by Adam and Eve after leaving paradise, symbolizing innocence,
truth, integrity, and purity.
In India throughout its history, ascetic groups wear garments made of
grass, tree bark, owl feathers, deerskins, and hair. Some Śaiva ascetics go
completely naked as do Jain monks, especially those of the Digambara
(wind clad) sect. The nakedness of these ascetics is indicative of their
detachment from and renunciation of the world. In contrast, the Buddha
does not advocate nakedness, and texts refer to yellow or ochre colored
robes. During the initial two decades of the movement, Buddhists wear
discarded rags that they sew together. When robes are donated to monks
they are cut up and sown together probably to reduce their value. The
robes of Buddhist monks are not considered a form of penance, as are the
coarse garments of some Christian monks that irritate their skin. The
wardrobe of a Buddhist monk consists of three robes: an outer cloak, an
inner robber worn as a toga, and a final robe used as underclothing.
Although the robes can be made of a number of fabrics, Buddhist monks
are forbidden to decorate the robes with gold or silver trim or to dye the
robes with a distinctive color. Monks also use a strip of cloth that func-
tions as a belt intended to keep their undergarment from falling. Besides
the robes, Buddhist monks are allowed to wear sandals made from a
single strand of rope in public but not in the monastery. Buddhist attire
results in a common appearance for all monks and stresses equality
among members.
Clothing need not simply distinguish between the laity and religious
professionals. There are instances when members of a religious move-
ment don distinctive clothing in order to call attention to their religious
convictions. For instance, in India, the members of the Rāmnāmi
Samāj, which consists mostly of Untouchables, wear unconventional
clothing. While other Untouchables attempt to blend into the Indian