Why do Buddhist monks wear red robes, and Hindu saffron robes, when they all pray to God?

Saffron color symbolizes two things, first, detachment and renunciation of the life of materialism, and second, enlightenment. In India, being one with God is associated with denouncing the material world, and achieving the divine light as a revelation. That is why all the mendicants and monks in India wear the robes of Saffron or yellow color.

In Tibet, there are various legends which explain the robes of the monks being of red color. According to one legend, it is an ancient Tibetan saying, “Are there any red things?” in which, Red means beef and mutton. Since the civilizations used to be settled where there were “red things”, the red color became a popular metaphor of life and settlement and was adopted by Buddhist monks there.

Another legend says, that according to Tibetan belief, the Universe is divided into three parts that of Gods, people, and ghosts. In ancient times, people used to paint their faces red to keep ghosts away. Later the practice changed to painting the exteriors of houses and buildings red (various temples and monasteries are painted red in Tibet). This is one more reason of monks wearing red in Tibet.

So it’s not only about God, but the interpretations of godly messages and the beliefs formed over time on the basis of these interpretations.