Lzh Mg Bi Vb Sk 65Shoes
Pāli / Sanskrit:Pāduka
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Pāduka Sutta (The Discourse on Footwear)
Background
The Pāduka Sutta is recorded in the Vinaya Piṭaka of the Theravāda Buddhist tradition, within the section on the Bhikkhunī-pātimokkha (the monastic code for nuns). This is a rule focused on the matter of wearing sandals and footwear within the community of female monastics — a detail that may appear minor but carries profound significance with respect to the practice of training, discipline, and respect within the Sangha.
The circumstances that gave rise to this text originated from specific situations in the daily life of the bhikkhunīs during the time of the Buddha. When the female practitioners had no clear regulations concerning the wearing of sandals, abuses and improprieties occurred, affecting the purity of their vows and the collective discipline. The Buddha therefore set forth detailed rules to regulate this conduct, suited to the particular circumstances and to the aims of the training.
Main Content
The Pāduka Sutta lays down regulations concerning the use of sandals and footwear by bhikkhunīs. According to the Vinaya Piṭaka, the wearing of sandals is not absolutely forbidden, but must conform to certain conditions. Female practitioners are permitted to wear sandals in cases of necessity — for instance, when traveling through difficult terrain or in inclement weather. However, this must be done in a spirit free from attachment to material things, without ostentation, and not exceeding actual need.
The text also specifies the types of sandals that are permitted and the situations in which sandals should not be worn. For example, when participating in religious ceremonies, entering temples or shrines, or while engaged in the practice of meditation (sitting meditation or walking meditation), the wearing of sandals must be carefully considered. The essential point is that sandals should not become a symbol of ambition, display, or violation of the principle of humility that the Buddha emphasized.
The Vinaya Piṭaka further makes clear that if a bhikkhunī wears sandals beyond the limits prescribed, or uses footwear for the purpose of showing off or out of attachment to bodily comfort, she shall receive a reprimand (dukkaṭa) or other appropriate measures in accordance with the degree of the offense.
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