robe of forbearance [忍辱の衣] ( ninniku-no-koromo): Also, robe of patience or robe of endurance. A simile for the spirit of forbearance required to teach the Lotus Sutra, and with which one bears abuse, insult, and any other persecution, remaining unperturbed and composed. The robe is one of the three essentials, or rules, for preaching the Lotus Sutra—the robe, seat, and room of the Thus Come One—mentioned in the “Teacher of the Law” (tenth) chapter of the sutra. A forbearing mind is compared to a robe because it protects against external hindrances. The “Teacher of the Law” chapter speaks of “the robe of gentleness and patience,” saying that one who desires to expound the Lotus Sutra after Shakyamuni Buddha’s death should put on “the Thus Come One’s robe,” and that “the Thus Come One’s robe is the mind that is gentle and forbearing.” See also robe, seat, and room; three rules of preaching.