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I, Prince Mongkut Sommuttithewawong, hereby make the following confession genuinely and truthfully: Back when I was a newly ordained, young bhikshu, I focused myself upon learning vinaya and sikkhā, during which I mingled with monks who conducted various kinds of analytic study and contemplation. I heard them say that wearing a robe like the Raman do is deemed correct for various reasons, and with theirs my thoughts were in unison. But I myself had not donned the robe that way until later, when other monks entered the royal palace wearing their robes that way and were merely questioned by Your Majesty without any direction given, upon which I was delighted, thinking that you permitted them to observe any custom at will. I then followed them onwards for I preferred the sikkhā way, but I failed to pay weighty and serious regard to the royal dignity and the affairs of the State just as you did on this occasion. Had I been thoughtful back then, I would not have conducted myself in such a manner. Moreover, at that time, I merely had five or six subordinate monks as my disciples, never thinking that I would gain a great many followers. Only after having been kindly supported by your authority, my congregation could grow greater. Thereupon I thought that observing the Raman way of wearing a robe would not be appropriate for your dignity and the tradition of the Kingdom. But as a great deal of time had passed already, I could only feel guilty, and since there was no one in authority for me to allude to, I, too, felt craven to offend the followers who were observing it. Now that I now have an order from His Highness to invoke, I am willing to abide by your royal desire and satisfy Your Gracious Majesty so that the annoyance annoying your mood would cease. Boundless is your gracious authority. Let me leave my life under the particles of dust upon your feet. In addition, [changing the robe wearing custom] would, from now on, conform respectfully to a great many senior patriarchs also.
Whether or not this is appropriate shall rest solely upon your judgment.
