Lzh Sarv Bu Pm Sk 104Shoes

THE SUTTA ON SHOES: PĀDUKA

Background

The Pāduka Sutta, on shoes, belongs to the Vinaya Piṭaka of the Early Buddhist tradition, where regulations concerning the clothing and possessions of monks and nuns in the monastic community are recorded. The Vinaya Piṭaka is not merely a set of harsh commands, but an expression of wise management of the community of practice, intended to protect the purity and spiritual independence of renunciants.

The matter of shoes may sound simple, but it contains deep principles in Buddhist practice. In the Buddha’s time, some monks used shoes that were too luxurious, materialistic, or unsuitable for the austere life of a renunciant. This led to distinction within the community, stirred up greed and deluded attachment, and ran contrary to the spirit of renouncing worldly refinement on the path.

Main Content

According to the regulations in the Vinaya Piṭaka, the Buddha gave guidance on rules concerning the kinds of shoes monks may use. The shoes of a practitioner should be simple and humble, intended only to protect the feet from sharp objects, hot sand, and dangers on the road. One must not use shoes made of rare leather, elaborately decorated, or luxurious in nature, because such things are not in accordance with the rules of humility and renunciation.

The law forbids monks and nuns from making or possessing shoes with overly elaborate designs or made from precious kinds of leather or materials. These regulations reflect the Buddhist principle of sama-citti, an even or equal mind: one should not create disparities within the community of practice through material possessions.

Practical Meaning

The Pāduka Sutta teaches us that a person practicing the Buddha Dharma should keep the mind alert even in the smallest details of daily life. Shoes are not a matter of harshness or contempt for the body, but an expression of wakefulness and of abandoning unnecessary refinements in material life.