在中國佛教的近代史上,作為重要的佛教領袖之一,太虛試圖對佛教進行全方位的改革。教理與教制之外,太虛亦注重佛教外在的革新,僧裝即是一例。作為僧裝改革的先行者,太虛早在民國之初就有改革僧裝的言論。抗戰勝利之後,太虛受命整理中國佛教。1946年4月,《海潮音》發表東初的〈改革僧裝與提高禮服〉,發出了改革僧裝的倡議。與此同時,太虛在他所主持的僧才訓練班上進行改革僧裝的首次嘗試。雖然是小範圍的試驗,卻在中國佛教界掀起軒然大波。保守者與改革者針鋒相對,遠在新加坡的慈航進一步將這場風波推向高潮,甚至不惜向師友發難。在整個事件的發展過程中,情緒勝過了理智,遂成一團亂麻。最終,印順用他的理性在佛教的歷史中尋找答案,這場僧裝改革的風波方才逐漸平息。
Taixu was one of the most important Buddhist leaders in the modern history of Chinese Buddhism. He attempted to carry out comprehensive reforms of Buddhism. In addition to Buddhist teachings and teaching methods, Taixu also proposed reform in the design of monastic robes. Hinting at his later reforms, Taixu made remarks on monastic robes in the early Republican period. After the Chinese victory of the Sino-Japanese War, Taixu was directed to reform Chinese Buddhism. In April 1946, Dongchu published an article entitled "Reforming Monastic Robes" in Haichaoyin, proposing reforms the monastic robe. At the same time, in his monastic training program, Taixu made the first attempt to reform the monastic robe. Although small in scope, this experiment led to controversy in the Chinese Buddhist community between conservatives and reformers. Cihang, who was in Singapore, furthered the controversy to a climax, even attacking his teacher and friends. The events were led by emotion rather than reason. In the end, Yinshun tried to find a reasonable resolution by looking to Buddhist history, and the reform controversy regarding monastic robes gradually subsided.