Robes Made From Recycled Plastic

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Sabbe_Dhamma_Anatta
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Robes Made From Recycled Plastic

Post by Sabbe_Dhamma_Anatta »

Buddhist Monks In Thailand Wear Robes Made From Recycled Plastic
  • Thailand’s Wat Chak Daeng temple now clothes all of their monks with orange robes made from recycled plastic bottles collected from a nearby river. Abbot Maha Pranom Dhammalangkaro, from Wat Chak Daeng, said other temples across Thailand have also started to make orders for their recycled robes.
  • Maha Pranom explained:
    • I tried wearing them for one year to see if they were too thick, too hard to dry or too hard to wash, or any other problems. But it was comfortable to wear; it was not smelly or damp. It was easy to wash and dries quickly.




:heart:
𝓑𝓾𝓭𝓭𝓱𝓪 𝓗𝓪𝓭 𝓤𝓷𝓮𝓺𝓾𝓲𝓿𝓸𝓬𝓪𝓵𝓵𝔂 𝓓𝓮𝓬𝓵𝓪𝓻𝓮𝓭 𝓣𝓱𝓪𝓽
  • Iᴅᴇᴀ ᴏꜰ Sᴏᴜʟ ɪs Oᴜᴛᴄᴏᴍᴇ ᴏꜰ ᴀɴ Uᴛᴛᴇʀʟʏ Fᴏᴏʟɪsʜ Vɪᴇᴡ
    V. Nanananda

𝓐𝓷𝓪𝓽𝓽ā 𝓜𝓮𝓪𝓷𝓼 𝓣𝓱𝓪𝓽 𝓣𝓱𝓮𝓻𝓮 𝓘𝓼
  • Nᴏ sᴜᴄʜ ᴛʜɪɴɢ ᴀs ᴀ Sᴇʟғ, Sᴏᴜʟ, Eɢᴏ, Sᴘɪʀɪᴛ, ᴏʀ Āᴛᴍᴀɴ
    V. Buddhādasa
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DooDoot
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Re: Robes Made From Recycled Plastic

Post by DooDoot »

wearing the defilements of the people - sounds like Christianity :thinking:

Last edited by DooDoot on Fri Oct 23, 2020 5:38 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Inedible
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Re: Robes Made From Recycled Plastic

Post by Inedible »

On one hand, recycling is good. On the other, natural fiber clothing holds energy and meditating in it repeatedly gives advantage.
SarathW
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Re: Robes Made From Recycled Plastic

Post by SarathW »

This is the process.
“As the lamp consumes oil, the path realises Nibbana”
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Re: Robes Made From Recycled Plastic

Post by SarathW »

wearing the defilements of the people
Agree. But:
1) Reduce waste
2) Recycle if can not stop waste.

Many countries now charge for plastics bags hence reducing the waste.
Plastic is a by-product of petroleum, so the only way to reduce plastic is to reduce petroleum consumption.
“As the lamp consumes oil, the path realises Nibbana”
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Sabbe_Dhamma_Anatta
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Re: Robes Made From Recycled Plastic

Post by Sabbe_Dhamma_Anatta »

SarathW wrote: Fri Oct 23, 2020 5:44 am This is the process.


Great. Thanks.

:heart:
𝓑𝓾𝓭𝓭𝓱𝓪 𝓗𝓪𝓭 𝓤𝓷𝓮𝓺𝓾𝓲𝓿𝓸𝓬𝓪𝓵𝓵𝔂 𝓓𝓮𝓬𝓵𝓪𝓻𝓮𝓭 𝓣𝓱𝓪𝓽
  • Iᴅᴇᴀ ᴏꜰ Sᴏᴜʟ ɪs Oᴜᴛᴄᴏᴍᴇ ᴏꜰ ᴀɴ Uᴛᴛᴇʀʟʏ Fᴏᴏʟɪsʜ Vɪᴇᴡ
    V. Nanananda

𝓐𝓷𝓪𝓽𝓽ā 𝓜𝓮𝓪𝓷𝓼 𝓣𝓱𝓪𝓽 𝓣𝓱𝓮𝓻𝓮 𝓘𝓼
  • Nᴏ sᴜᴄʜ ᴛʜɪɴɢ ᴀs ᴀ Sᴇʟғ, Sᴏᴜʟ, Eɢᴏ, Sᴘɪʀɪᴛ, ᴏʀ Āᴛᴍᴀɴ
    V. Buddhādasa
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Kim OHara
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Re: Robes Made From Recycled Plastic

Post by Kim OHara »

SarathW wrote: Fri Oct 23, 2020 5:50 am
wearing the defilements of the people
Agree. But:
1) Reduce waste
2) Recycle if can not stop waste.
:thumbsup:
Absolutely.
Many countries now charge for plastics bags hence reducing the waste.
:thumbsup:
Plastic is a by-product of petroleum, so the only way to reduce plastic is to reduce petroleum consumption.
Actually, that's the other way round: if we reduce our plastic consumption, oil producers will reduce their output because they have no market for the stuff.

:namaste:
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SarathW
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Re: Robes Made From Recycled Plastic

Post by SarathW »

Actually, that's the other way round: if we reduce our plastic consumption, oil producers will reduce their output because they have no market for the stuff.
No.
The main product is the front runner.
They have to discard the by-product normally.
Some times by product turn out to be the main product as well.
For instance, sheepskin is the by product of meat production.
But after they promote Ugg boots, the sheepskin became the main product.
“As the lamp consumes oil, the path realises Nibbana”
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Re: Robes Made From Recycled Plastic

Post by Inedible »

Covid is reducing demand for oil. People aren't traveling as much so demand is way down
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Kim OHara
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Re: Robes Made From Recycled Plastic

Post by Kim OHara »

Inedible wrote: Sat Oct 24, 2020 7:15 am Covid is reducing demand for oil. People aren't traveling as much so demand is way down
:thumbsup:
And renewable energy is also reducing the demand for oil.
https://www.theguardian.com/business/20 ... rgy-report
And the oil producers want to increase plastic production to maintain their profits.
https://uk.reuters.com/article/us-petro ... KKCN1ME2QD
And to do that they are undermining efforts of environmental groups to increase plastic recycling.
https://www.npr.org/2020/09/11/89769209 ... e-recycled

:coffee:
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SDC
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Re: Robes Made From Recycled Plastic

Post by SDC »

Instead of making this a nerdy environmental thread :tongue: , it should be noted that some of the most accomplished arahants were rag-robe wearers, some of which gathered those rags from charnel ground rubbish heaps.

I also recall the Buddha having said that if his disciples were praised for only their austerities, they would find the Buddha at fault, since on occasion he accepted silk robes and ate full bowls of food in palaces.

Seems as though it is the temperament of the monastic that gives the best indication of what type of robe is most suitable. It is a great gain for the laity to give requisites to the Sangha, and those people should be free to offer whatever they please. It also seems monks are within their rights to sow robes made of discarded clothes, but it should be done for the reasons offered in the many suttas about this topic rather than the rather shallow act of being a conservationist. :stirthepot:
“Life is swept along, short is the life span; no shelters exist for one who has reached old age. Seeing clearly this danger in death, a seeker of peace should drop the world’s bait.” SN 1.3
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Re: Robes Made From Recycled Plastic

Post by JohnK »

SarathW wrote: Fri Oct 23, 2020 5:50 am
wearing the defilements of the people
Agree...
I thought defilements were qualities of heart/mind?
(Happy to be corrected if I'm wrong.)
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Bhikkhu Pesala
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Re: Robes Made From Recycled Plastic

Post by Bhikkhu Pesala »

SDC wrote: Sun Oct 25, 2020 2:19 pmIt also seems monks are within their rights to sow robes made of discarded clothes, but it should be done for the reasons offered in the many suttas about this topic rather than the rather shallow act of being a conservationist. :stirthepot:
Perhaps if we could sow robes made of discarded clothes we could grow cotton? :stirthepot:

The idea of using discarded rags for robes is to give minimal trouble to others. Householders nowadays can buy manufactured robes at a modest price. Monks have multiple sets of spare robes that are never likely get used. They are recycled by would-be donors buying a set of robes from the Vihāra trustees to donate to the monks.

Polyester robes are hard wearing and easy to wash, but hot in the summer and cold in the winter. Natural fibre robes like cotton are more comfortable, but also more expensive and probably less environmentally friendly. Given that a set of robes lasts for five years or longer, it is not a major issue. Old robes can be recycled as bed sheets, curtains, cushion covers, etc.
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Kim OHara
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Re: Robes Made From Recycled Plastic

Post by Kim OHara »

Bhikkhu Pesala wrote: Sun Oct 25, 2020 9:01 pm ... Old robes can be recycled as bed sheets, curtains, cushion covers, etc.
According to Kd 21.1.14, King Udena’s wife gave Ananda a generous gift of 500 robes – without asking his permission. He wasn’t particularly happy about that, so he questioned Ananda:
“But what can you, honourable Ananda, do with so many robes?”
“I will share them, your majesty, with those monks whose robes are worn thin.”
“But what will you do, good Ananda, with those old robes that are worn thin?”
“We will make them into upper coverings, your majesty.”
“But what will you do, good Ananda, with those upper coverings that are old?”
“We will make these into mattress coverings, your majesty.”
“But what will you do, good Ananda, with those mattress coverings that are old?”
“We will make them into ground coverings, your majesty.”
“But what will you do, good Ananda, with those ground coverings that are old?”
“We will make them into foot-wipers, your majesty.”
“But what will you do, good Ananda, with those foot-wipers that are old?”
“We will make them into dusters, your majesty.”
“But what will you do, good Ananda, with those dusters that are old?”
“Having torn them into shreds, your majesty, having kneaded them with mud, we will smear a plaster-flooring.”
It’s a great example of best-practice stewardship. History relates that King Udena was impressed – as he should have been! – and all ended well. I'm very glad to hear you're still doing it after all these years.

:namaste:
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SDC
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Re: Robes Made From Recycled Plastic

Post by SDC »

Bhikkhu Pesala wrote: Sun Oct 25, 2020 9:01 pm
SDC wrote: Sun Oct 25, 2020 2:19 pmIt also seems monks are within their rights to sow robes made of discarded clothes, but it should be done for the reasons offered in the many suttas about this topic rather than the rather shallow act of being a conservationist. :stirthepot:
Perhaps if we could sow robes made of discarded clothes we could grow cotton? :stirthepot:
Rebel! Progressive! :tongue:

(Delivered with the utmost respect, Bhante :anjali: )
“Life is swept along, short is the life span; no shelters exist for one who has reached old age. Seeing clearly this danger in death, a seeker of peace should drop the world’s bait.” SN 1.3
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