Chougu
Three types of kesa Soto monks are supposed to receive upon ordination: (
1) the five-panel robe (gojōe 五條衣), a.k.a. andae robe (andae 安陀會, S. antarvāsa),
(2) seven-panel robe (shichijōe 七條衣), a.k.a. uttarasō robe (uttarasō 欝多羅僧, S. uttarāsangha), and
(3) nine-panel robe (kujōe 九條衣), a.k.a. sōgyari robe (sōgyari 僧伽梨, S. saghāi).
According to Indian Vinaya texts translated into Chinese, Buddhist monks are allowed three types of robes: (1) an antarvāsa or "under robe," (
2) an uttarāsangha or "upper robe," and (3) a saghāi or "full dress robe." These three types of robes are symbolically represented by the three types of kesas that Soto monks receive today, but the latter do not have the same shapes or practical functions as the original Indian robes they are named after. "andae robe," "uttarasō robe," "sōgyari robe," "kesa," "robes."
