“That event created many turning points. Before the Buddha departed from Savatthi,
he requested cooperation from those who would travel with him to wear new robes.
He asked the villagers for cloth and then dyed it with turmeric to a bright yellow. At
that time, most ascetics, including the Buddha himself, typically wore undyed raw
cotton cloth, or some even wore animal hides, such as tiger skins. Previously, for those
who voluntarily became monks with the Buddha, he did not impose any such rules, so
most people wore natural-colored cotton robes,” he explained.

“Then why did he choose such a bright yellow color? I’ve always wondered why monks
wear yellow robes,” I asked.

“The main objective at that time was simply to make it easy for people to notice and
remember them. Wherever his group traveled, even if people didn’t know who he was
at that time, he just wanted the villagers and townspeople to see the image of a group
of people in yellow robes passing by. And when Achita’s group traveled in search later,
which was a large caravan, when the villagers knew she was looking for the Buddha,
they would immediately recall the group of men in yellow robes who had passed by.
This style would certainly not be confused with other ascetics. It was a very effective
public relations strategy,” he explained.

“If it were today, we would call the Buddha a very skilled marketing strategist and
brand builder, creating memorable recognition,” I observed.

“Yes, and this was a significant turning point because after that, the yellow robe
became the uniform of monks in Buddhism to this day,” he explained.

“So, the wearing of yellow robes started from here? What happened next?” I asked.

“Her journey began from this point. Why don’t you experience it yourself?” he
suggested.

“Could you please tell the story, and I also enter Achita’s mind? Because I want to know
the whole story from the Buddha’s perspective and from the perspectives of others,
including Achita’s, all at the same time,” I asked.

“Alright, we can try this method,” he replied.

“During that time, it was as if she and all the members had returned home. All their
relatives, including Lord Pasenadi Kosala, were excited and happy to see them return.
They recounted their experiences of being close to and attending to the Buddha,
describing his teaching methods that allowed everyone to access the inner wisdom,
which was remarkably different from all other schools at that time. Moreover, they had
witnessed significant changes in the city, including the construction of more roads, the
expansion of residential areas, and the emergence of many lodging houses for
foreigners. In particular, a new residence was built for the Buddha, named ‘Jetavana Vihara,’ which was constructed by the wealthy Sudatta. It consisted of a large wooden
pavilion to accommodate the people who would come to see the Buddha. The pavilion
had a tiered roof with as many as twelve levels, the most ever seen.”

“Lord, what did you mean by the Buddha’s strange teaching methods just now?” I
asked.

“She already knows this very well because she has gone through all those experiences.I will just help refresh her memory. Try answering my question first: while you were in
Achita’s guise, what methods did you use to seek the truth as a path to liberation?” he
asked.

“Hmm… following Master Bavari’s way, since he was a Brahmin with great knowledge,
he was a teacher who had previously taught about the Vedas, the three Vedas, and
ancient astrology. But he was tired of the Brahminical way of life, which still involved
worldly matters. A Brahmin’s life still included various defilements, having a
household, wife, and children, especially being an advisor and planning life in all
aspects for kings and people. So, he renounced everything to seek the path to
liberation. His daily practice was to have everyone isolate themselves, not meet or talk
to each other, have no activities, not get involved with outsiders, and spend all their
time cultivating mindfulness and meditation, staying with themselves, staying with
their own breath, to purify their minds. This purity would consist of abandoning
various desires and cravings, including eating and living, enduring sensual pleasures
by observing precepts, practicing celibacy, rejecting all kinds of entertainment, and not
engaging in any vices,” I explained.

“Do you think these methods are seeking liberation from the outside or from within?”
he asked.

“Huh… I don’t understand the question,” I asked.

“Let me put it this way: do you think that by doing that, you are relying on yourself or
relying on external things?” he reiterated.

“Relying on myself, of course, because we deliberately seek quiet places with no
distractions so that we have the opportunity to discover the truth from within,” I
replied.

“If you didn’t have such a quiet place, would you have no chance of discovering it?” he
continued.

“Uh… maybe not… find it,” I said, starting to feel unsure and as if I was being cornered.

“What you feel is correct, but you are contradicting yourself. If you have to live that way
to attain the truth, then it means you are relying on external things. That is, you need a
conducive place, a suitable environment, or a specific method. And the fact that you are
traveling to meet a great man is because you are using a method of seeking from external things. You desire him to guide you. Without those external things, you would
not be able to achieve your goal,” he explained.