Lzh Sarv Bu Pm Sk 103Sandals

Exposition of the Upāhanāruḷha Sutta (Sandals)

Background

Upāhanāruḷha belongs to the Vinaya Piṭaka in the Pāli tradition and is one of the specific regulations on the deportment and etiquette of monks. The Vinaya Piṭaka was established by the Buddha not to constrain, but to protect the Sangha, help monastics live harmoniously with one another, and preserve a dignified image in the eyes of the world, thereby creating favorable conditions for teaching the Dharma and benefiting beings.

The Upāhanāruḷha Sutta concerns the use of sandals (upāhanā) in certain activities of monks. In the Buddha’s time, sandals were important objects that protected the feet from harsh terrain, snakes, insects, and thorns. However, wearing or removing sandals in certain circumstances reflects the renunciant’s attitude of reverence, humility, and awareness of the boundary between worldly life and the path.

Minor rules connected with deportment such as this were often laid down after specific incidents in which a monk behaved inappropriately, troubling the community or causing laypeople to lose faith in the Sangha.

Main Content

The specific content of this sutta has not yet been fully translated in the existing descriptive information, but based on the Vinaya Piṭaka tradition, regulations concerning upāhanā usually revolve around the following principles:

On wearing sandals: A monk is permitted to use sandals when travelling on the road to protect his feet, especially in hot regions, thorny terrain, or places with danger from poisonous creatures. However, wearing sandals must follow principles of simplicity, without ornamentation or luxury, in accordance with the renunciant spirit of fewness of wishes and contentment.

On removing sandals: There are spaces and circumstances in which a monk must remove sandals as a sign of reverence and purity. Typical examples are when entering a monastery (vihāra), a Sangha hall, or when approaching elders, paying homage to the Buddha, entering a chanting room, or stepping onto a bed to rest. Removing sandals expresses humility and respect for sacred space.

On general deportment: This rule is also connected with how a monk walks, stands, sits, and lies down. Monks should not climb about, jump, or behave without calmness while wearing sandals, because doing so would harm the image of a practitioner in the eyes of the world.

These seemingly minor regulations in fact train mindfulness (sati) in every gesture, helping the practitioner remain awake in all postures and accomplish “sampajañña,” clear comprehension.

Practical Meaning

For people practicing today, even if they are not monks keeping the full Vinaya, the Upāhanāruḷha Sutta still carries a profound message about mindfulness in daily life.

Removing shoes when entering a temple, before a Buddha altar, or when stepping into a space of practice is not only a custom but a symbolic act: we put down the dust of the world and prepare a pure mind to encounter the Dharma Jewel. Each time we bend down to remove our shoes can be an opportunity to practice present mindfulness, recognizing the movement from the worldly toward the sacred.