Rakusu

The Rakusu is a garment worn around the neck of Zen Buddhists who have taken the precepts. It is made of 16 strips of cloth, sewn together into a brick-like pattern by the student themselves during their period of preparation for their Jukai ceremony.

There is no set standard, but the most common application of rakusu color is for the front of the rakusu to be black for priests and dark blue for laymen. The back of the rakusu is left white. The teacher will traditionally write the student's new Dharma name and occasionally their lineage.

History

The Rakusu is a garment said in legend to originate from the Buddha himself while walking through rice fields, but it is commonly accepted that the rakusu is a garment of Chinese origins; the Ch'an Buddhist tradition.

Ch'an Buddhism was studied by Dogen, who traveled from Japan to China in 1214. Dogen returned to Japan in 1227 or 1228 with his knowledge of Ch'an Buddhism, as well as the rakusu. The rakusu is now commonly associated with Zen Buddhist practices.

Symbology

The rakusu represents the garments that Gautama Buddha put together to wear after he left his palace to seek enlightenment. According to Buddhist scripture, Siddhārtha Gautama left the palace where he was a prince, and collected rags from trash heaps, funeral pyres, and various other places. He then cleaned the rags by rubbing them in saffron, which gave his robes an orange-golden appearance.

Sources

* http://www.hsuyun.org/Dharma/zbohy/Special/rakusu/Rakusu.html
* http://www.buddhanet.net/masters/deshimaru.htm
* http://www.buddhistview.com/site/epage/15497_225.htm
* http://www.ic.nanzan-u.ac.jp/SHUBUNKEN/publications/jjrs/pdf/697.pdf