"The Buddha did not like beautification. He did appreciate neatness and cleanliness. When people of dignity and character go out, they first check their garments to be sure they are decorous, and only then go outside. Novices and monks under the guardianship of people of dignity and character must even more decorous than their guardians in the area of dress. One must don the robes in a decorous fashion inside of one's room. The upper and lower robes must be even. One should not have to have one's robes adjusted after lining up for alms-round like this."

The local and foreign monks from Shwe Taung Gon Sâsana Yeiktha leave to go on almsround through Shwe Taung (Golden Hill) and Shwe Chaung (Golden Valley) at about six-thirty in the morning, after eating breakfast. They have to line up to go. Before they take off, Sayadaw comes by, and if he sees any untidy robes, he has them corrected. Some make their collar very high when they don the robes to go outside. Some do it so that it covers their chin. When he sees that kind of thing, Sayadaw tells them to redo their collar and make it small and neat. When he dons his robes to go out, Sayadaw wears does it carefully and neatly himself, too. The way I see it, it's no good if people have to see big, sloppy collars. It doesn't arouse clarity in the mind. Some wear their lower robes much higher or much lower than the correct eight finger-widths below the knees. In this case, he has them quickly correct it. If they still can't get it, he doesn't let them go on almsround. He tells them to learn how do it.

One's upper robe should be worn so as to reach about four-finger widths above the lower robe, that is, about four finger-widths below the knee. One must do it so that lower edge of both the upper and the lower robes are as even as if they were cut with scissors in front, in back, and on both sides. The lower edge of the upper robe should not be concealing that of the lower. Neither should the lower edge of the upper robe be more than four finger-widths above that of the lower. Some monks' collars don't cover in front at all, so that their throat is showing.

I have heard these words of guidance a great many times, both at the Mahasi Sâsana Yeiktha and at the Shwe Taung Gon Sâsana Yeiktha. I think I listened to the Mahâgandâyone Sayadaw give these words of guidance, as well. That is why I caught myself wondering whether Sayadaw had memorized the Mahâgandâyone Sayadaw's words well enough to be able to repeat them off hand like this. It seems that Sayadaw to appreciates the Mahâgandâyone Sayadaw's view this much, I thought to myself. Anyway, no matter who's view it is, if it levels with the Buddha's, it's a good one. If it doesn't level with the Buddha's view, though, no matter who's it is, it's not one to appreciate.

Next, Sayadaw often checks to see if each monk is wearing his robe belt and whether he has clipped the fastener at the edge of his robes. If they haven't tied their robe belt, he has them tie it and if they haven't clipped their fastener, he has them clip

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