Wastefulness is so much part of our world ... - Dhamma by Ajahn Jayasāro

Wastefulness is so much part of our world these days that we are often blind to it, or even consider it a sign of progress. It is good to remind ourselves of the practices of our great teachers.

One day King Udena heard that his concubines had offered 500 outer robes to Venerable Ananda. He became angry and upset: “How can this monk accept so many robes? Is he going to be a clothes merchant; or open a store’

When King Udena approached Ven. Ananda and asked him why he had accepted so many robes, Ven. Ananda replied: “Maharāja, we distribute them to monks with robes that are worn out. Those worn-out robes we turn into cover-sheets. The old cover-sheets we turn into floor-sheets. Old floor-sheets are made into covers for mattresses. Those old covers are used as dusters. As for the dusters having shredded them up, we knead them into the mud, and then spread them out on the flooring.’

King Udena thought: ‘These Buddhist monks proceed very wisely; nothing is wasted. And he offered Ven. Ananda another 500 pieces of cloth.

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