Buddhism innovation creativity : four requisites

Abstract

               The objective of the article was to demonstrate the Buddha's innovative creativity on what was accepted as a practical example or an innovation that was derived from the creation of new knowledge, and thinking and implementation of the knowledge in accordance with the situations in the Buddha’s time. There were several samples on Buddhist innovations on administration, learning management, and disciplinariness. In the article, it was clearly said about a creative innovation of four requisites for monks; clothing or three robes (Civara in Pali), food or alms food (Pindapata in Pali), abiding (Senasana in Pali), and medicine (Gilanabhesajja in Pali). Each of them reflected the Buddha’s innovative creativity. In terms of clothing, for instance, the Buddha gave Venerable Ananda only a hint, but the existing three robes for monks were under the processes of invention, design, development and implementation. As regards, new knowledge was created and utilized in line with the existing situation. That was, three robes for Buddhist monks were cut in pieces and sew together like the formation of Magadha farmers’ fields. Therefore, a Magadha-field-designed robe became a new invention, of which the most significant advantage was that such a robe was no longer stolen, and Buddhist monks could dress themselves in so-called three robes without any worries. Nevertheless, they become clothes for Buddhist monks, allowed by the Buddha, until now.