Recycling, the Buddhist way

The Buddhist monks in the Buddha's time recycled their robes long before we talk about recycling. Sitting thus at one side, rajah Udena said this to venerable Ānanda,

“Master Ānanda, did our concubines come here?”
“Maharajah, your concubines did come here today.”
14.2 “And what did they give to master Ānanda?”
“Maharajah, they gave me 500 sets of outer robes.”
14.3 “But what is master Ānanda going to do with so many robes?’
“Maharajah, we distribute them to monks with robes that are worn out.”
14.4 “But, master Ānanda, what then do you do with the old worn-out robes?”
“We turn them into cover-sheets.”
14.5 “What then, master Ānanda, do you do with the old cover-sheets?”
“We turn them into floor-sheets [carpets], maharajah.”
14.6 “What then, master Ānanda, do you do with the old floor-sheets?”
“We turn them into covers for pillows and mattresses.”
14.7 “What then, master Ānanda, do you do with the old covers?”
“We turn them into foot-towels, maharajah.”
14.8 “What then, master Ānanda, do you do with the old foot-towels?”
“We turn them into dusters, maharajah.”
14.9 “What then, master Ānanda, do you do with the old dusters?”
“Maharajah, having shredded them up, we knead them into the mud, and then we will spread them out on the flooring.”
14.10 Then rajah Udena thought,
“These recluses, sons of the Shakya, proceed very wisely; nothing is wasted!”
So he gave venerable Ānanda another set of 500 pieces of cloth.

And this was how a thousand sets of outer robes accrued upon venerable Ānanda.