Rejection of sandals inside a monastery

^Kd.5.4.1 Now at that time the Lord was pacing up and down without sandals in the open air. Monks who were elders, thinking: “The teacher is pacing up and down without sandals”, also paced up and down without sandals. The group of six monks, while the teacher was pacing up and down without sandals and while monks who were elders were pacing up and down without sandals, paced up and down with sandals on. Those who were modest monks … spread it about, saying: How can this group of six monks, while the teacher is pacing up and down without sandals, and while monks who are elders are pacing up and down without sandals, pace up and down with sandals on?”

^Kd.5.4.2 Then these monks told this matter to the Lord. He said: “Is it true, as is said, monks, that the group of six monks, while the teacher … with sandals on?”

“It is true, Lord.” The awakened one, the Lord, rebuked them, saying:

“How monks, can these foolish men, while the teacher was pacing up and down without sandals, and while monks who are elders were pacing up and down without sandals, pace up ^BD.4.249 and down with sandals on? For, monks, even these white-frocked householders, on account of procuring a craft for their livelihood, will be respectful, deferential, courteous^[1] towards their teachers.

^Kd.5.4.3 “Herein, monks, let your light shine forth so that you who have thus gone forth in this dhamma and discipline which are well taught may be^[2] respectful, deferential, courteous towards teachers,^[3] grades of teachers,^[4] preceptors, grades of preceptors.^[5] It is not, monks, for pleasing those who are not (yet) pleased …” and having rebuked them, having given reasoned talk, he addressed the monks, saying:

“Monks, you should not pace up and down with sandals on while teachers, grades of teachers, preceptors, grades of preceptors are pacing up and down without sandals. Whoever should (so) pace up and down, there is an offence of wrong-doing. And, monks, you should not wear sandals within a monastery. Whoever should wear them (there), there is an offence of wrong-doing.”

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^Kd.5.5.1 Now at that time a certain monk came to have an affliction of corns on his feet.^[6] Having taken hold of that monk, they made him go out to relieve himself. As the Lord was touring the lodgings he saw those monks who, having taken hold of that monk, ^Vin.1.188 were making him go out to relieve himself, and seeing (this), he approached those monks, having approached, he spoke thus to those monks:

^Kd.5.5.2 “What, monks, is this monk’s disease?”

“Lord, this venerable one has an affliction of corns on the feet, and having taken hold of him, we are making him go ^BD.4.250 out to relieve himself.” Then the Lord in this connection having given reasoned talk, addressed the monks, saying:

“I allow, monks, he whose feet are painful or he whose feet are split or he who has an affliction of corns on the feet, to wear sandals.”

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^Kd.5.6.1 Now at that time monks got up on to couches and chairs with unwashed feet, and robes and lodgings were soiled.^[7] They told this matter to the Lord. He said:

“I allow you, monks, when you think: ‘I will get up now on to a couch or a chair’, to wear sandals.”

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^Kd.5.6.2 Now at that time, monks, going to an Observance-hut^[8] and to a meeting-place at night, in the dark trod upon stumps of trees and on thorns, and their feet became painful. They told this matter to the Lord. He said:

“I allow you, monks, to use sandals within a monastery, a torch, a light, a staff.^[9]”

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

These three words also at Vin.1.45; AN.iii.15.

[2]:

Cf. Kd.10.2.20.

[3]:

The four teachers meant here, according to Vin-a.1085, are those for the going forth, for ordination, for the resources, for the recitation (of the Pātimokkha). Cf. Vism.94.

[4]:

ācariyamatta. Vin-a.1085 says that one of six years’ standing is for one(i.e. to teach one) of no (full) year’s standing; so one of seven years ‘standing will be for one of one year’s standing, one of eight for one of two, one of nine for one of three, one of ten for one of four years’ standing.

[5]:

upajjhāyamatta. Vin-a.1085: these are monks who are friends and companions of a preceptor, or of any who are ten years one’s senior (in the Order).

[6]:

pādakhīlābādha. Khīla may here mean an eruption. Vin-a.1085: the flesh comes to have stood out from (or left, nikkhanta) the foot, like a stake (reading khila; cf. Ja.v.204 khīḷāni, variant reading khilāni, meaning “sharp stakes”).

[7]:

Cf. Vin.2.174.

[8]:

uposathagga; cf. Vin.3.66. There is also uposathāgāra, translated above, e.g. Kd.2.9.1 as “Observance-hall ”.

[9]:

kattaradaṇḍa; cf. Vin.2.76, Vin.2.217, Vin.3.160. The last part of the rule of Kd.5.4.3 appears to be nullified by this rule at Kd.5.6.2.