Cattāri Brahmavihārā

9. Whoever being depraved, devoid of self-control and truthfulness, should don the monk’s yellow robe, he surely is not worthy of the robe.

Please find the audio recording of this verse below. Please take the time to recite the following three times before reading the words of Lord Buddha:

Namo Tassa Bhagavato Arahato Sammā Sambudhassa (3 times).

Homage to the blessed One, the Perfected One, the Fully Awakened One (3 times).

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1qbWH5SCXE2ypMFqCBhz34WEkPEGjEl2b/view?usp=sharing

Be sure to repeat the verse, with the verse number at least ten times out loud. It helps if you can do this multiple times a day and use as many different techniques (writing, repetition, listening) as possible.

The Illustrated Dhammapada, Treasury of Truth, gives the following context and explanation for the ninth verse of the Dhammapada:

Verse 9. Those Who Do Not Deserve the Stained Robe

One who wears the stainless robe
who’s yet not free from stain,
without restraint and truthfulness
for the stainless robe’s unfit.

Explanation: A monk may be stained by defilements, bereft of self-control and awareness of reality. Such a monk, though he may wear the ‘stained cloth’ ( the monk’s robe which has been specially coloured with dye obtained from wild plants), he is not worthy of such a saintly garb.

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