Lzh Mg Bu Pm Sk 51Sandals
Pāli / Sanskrit:Upāhanāruḷha
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Upāhanāruḷha Sutta (Sandals)
Background
The Upāhanāruḷha Sutta is a pericope (a rule passage) belonging to the Vinaya Piṭaka within the Theravāda tradition, recorded in the Pāli Canon. It forms part of the Bhikkhu Pātimokkha (the code of rules for monks), wherein the Buddha established regulations concerning the use of personal articles, specifically the various types of sandals and footwear. The context arose from a particular incident during the Buddha's lifetime, in which a certain monk wore sandals in a manner unsuitable to the holy setting, prompting the Buddha to promulgate rules on this matter.
This sutta reflects the lived reality of the Saṅgha community in the early days of Buddhism, when monks required detailed guidance on the proper use of everyday articles. The Vinaya Piṭaka is not merely a collection of restrictive rules; it is also a method of education, helping monastics to cultivate heedfulness (appamāda) and respect toward common material things.
Main Content
The Upāhanāruḷha Sutta addresses the correct use of sandals (upāhana) — an indispensable part of monastic life. The Buddha stipulated that monks should not wear sandals when entering sacred spaces such as monasteries, the Uposatha hall (uposathagāra), or when meeting those who are worthy of veneration. This arises from a fundamental principle of the Vinaya: the maintenance of proper conduct (sīla) and respect for hallowed spaces.
Furthermore, the Buddha instructed that the choice of sandals should follow the principle of the Middle Way — neither extravagant nor slovenly. Sandals should not be excessively costly or adorned in a showy manner, as this may give rise to conceit (māna) in the mind. At the same time, sandals should not be regarded with contempt, for they serve as a means of protecting one's health when traveling along parched or scorching roads.
This sutta also contains a teaching on the balance between ascetic restraint and the wholesome care of the body.
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