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they were wearing sandals with great dye-red straps, they were wearing sandals with great name-dye-red straps. People complained, grumbled, and criticized, “Just like laypeople who indulge in sensual pleasures!” They reported this matter to the Blessed One. “Bhikkhus, sandals with blue straps should not be worn… … Yellow-bordered sandals should not be worn. Red-bordered sandals should not be worn. Madder-red-bordered sandals should not be worn. Black-bordered sandals should not be worn. Great-dye-red-bordered sandals should not be worn. Great-name-red-bordered sandals should not be worn. Whoever wears them, commits an offense of wrong-doing. Now at that time, the group of six monks were wearing sandals bound with leather strips, were wearing sandals bound with a pouch, were wearing sandals with a rolled edge, were wearing sandals stuffed with cotton, were wearing sandals like partridge wings, were wearing sandals bordered with ram's horn, were wearing sandals bordered with goat's horn, were wearing sandals like scorpion tails, were wearing sandals sewn with peacock feathers, were wearing variegated sandals. People complained, grumbled, and criticized, "Just like householders who indulge in sensual pleasures!" They reported this matter to the Blessed One. "Monks, sandals bound with leather strips should not be worn. Sandals bound with a pouch should not be worn. Sandals with a rolled edge should not be worn. Sandals stuffed with cotton should not be worn. Sandals like partridge wings should not be worn. Sandals bordered with ram's horn should not be worn. Sandals bordered with goat's horn should not be worn. Sandals like scorpion tails should not be worn. Sandals sewn with peacock feathers should not be worn. Variegated sandals should not be worn. Whoever wears them, commits an offense of wrong-doing." Now at that time, the group of six monks were wearing sandals made of lion skin, were wearing sandals made of tiger skin, were wearing sandals made of leopard skin, were wearing sandals made of antelope skin, were wearing sandals made of otter skin, were wearing sandals made of cat skin, were wearing sandals made of black deer skin, were wearing sandals made of fox skin. They wear sandals made of owl skin. People complain, grumble, and criticize, "Just like lay people who indulge in sensual pleasures!" They reported this matter to the Blessed One. Monks, sandals made of lion skin should not be worn... ...sandals made of tiger skin should not be worn, ...sandals made of leopard skin should not be worn, ...sandals made of antelope skin should not be worn, ...sandals made of otter skin should not be worn, ...sandals made of cat skin should not be worn, ...sandals made of black deer skin should not be worn, ...sandals made of wolf skin should not be worn. Whoever wears them commits an offense of wrong-doing. The prohibition of all blue-colored items, etc., is finished. 150. Permission for worn-out sandals with straps 247. Then the Blessed One, having dressed in the morning, and taking his bowl and robe, entered Rājagaha for alms, with a certain monk following behind him. Then that monk, limping, followed the Blessed One from behind. Then a certain lay follower, wearing sandals with straps, saw the Blessed One approaching from afar; having seen him, he put on his sandals and approached the Blessed One; having approached, he saluted the Blessed One and then approached that monk; having approached, he saluted that monk and said this: "Why, venerable sir, does the elder limp?" "My feet, friend, are cracked." "Here, venerable sir, take these sandals." "Enough, friend, sandals with straps are forbidden by the Blessed One." "Take these sandals, monk." Then the Blessed One, on account of this incident, on account of this matter, gave a discourse and addressed the monks: "Monks, I permit worn-out sandals with straps. Monks, new sandals with straps should not be worn. Whoever wears them commits an offense of wrong-doing." The permission for worn-out sandals with straps is finished. 151. Sandals within the monastery Summary 248. Now at that time the Blessed One was walking barefoot in the open air. Because the Teacher was walking barefoot, the elder monks also walked barefoot. The group-of-six monks, while the Teacher was walking barefoot, and while the elder monks were walking barefoot, walked with sandals. Those monks who were of few wishes…pe… they complained, grumbled, and criticized—"How can these group-of-six monks, while the Teacher is walking barefoot, and while the elder monks are walking barefoot, walk with sandals?" Then those monks reported this matter to the Blessed One…pe… "Is it true, monks, that the group-of-six monks, while the Teacher is walking barefoot, and while the elder monks are walking barefoot, walk with sandals?" "It is true, Blessed One." The Buddha, the Blessed One, rebuked them…pe… "How can these foolish men, monks, while the Teacher is walking barefoot, and while the elder monks are walking barefoot, walk with sandals? These householders, monks, wearing white clothes, for the sake of a livelihood, for the sake of a craft, live respectfully, reverently, and in harmony with their teachers. Here, monks, it would be fitting for you, who have gone forth in such a well-proclaimed Dhamma and Discipline, to live respectfully, reverently, and in harmony with your teachers, with those who are like teachers, with your preceptors, with those who are like preceptors. This, monks, is not for the conversion of the unconverted…pe… Having rebuked them…pe… having given a Dhamma talk, he addressed the monks—"Monks, when teachers, those who are like teachers, preceptors, and those who are like preceptors are walking barefoot, one should not walk with sandals. Whoever walks, commits an offense of wrong-doing. And, monks, sandals should not be worn within the monastery grounds. Whoever wears them, commits an offense of wrong-doing." 249. At that time, a certain bhikkhu had a foot-sore ailment. The bhikkhus, holding him, helped him to excrete feces and urine. The Blessed One, wandering through the lodgings, saw those bhikkhus holding that bhikkhu, helping him to excrete feces and urine. Having seen them, he approached those bhikkhus. Having approached, he said to those bhikkhus: "What is this bhikkhu's ailment, monks?" "Venerable sir, this venerable one has a foot-sore ailment. We, holding him, help him to excrete feces and urine." Then the Blessed One, on this occasion, on this matter, gave a Dhamma talk, and addressed the bhikkhus: "I allow, monks, for one whose feet are painful, or whose feet are cracked, or who has a foot-sore ailment, to wear sandals." At that time, bhikkhus with unwashed feet climbed onto beds and chairs. Their robes and lodgings became soiled. They reported this matter to the Blessed One. "I allow, monks, to wear sandals when thinking: 'Now I will climb onto a bed or a chair.'" At that time, bhikkhus going to the Uposatha hall or to an assembly at night, in the darkness, stepped on stumps and thorns. Their feet became painful. They reported this matter to the Blessed One. "I allow, monks, to wear sandals within the monastery, and to use a torch, a lamp, and a walking stick." The prohibition of sandals within the monastery is concluded. 152. Prohibition of wooden sandals, etc. 250. At that time, the group of six bhikkhus, rising at dawn, at night, wearing wooden sandals, walked about in the open air. They made loud noises, great noises, clatter-clatter noises, speaking various kinds of worldly talk, such as: talk of kings, talk of robbers, ma Talks of armies, talks of soldiers, talks of fear, talks of war, talks of food, talks of drink, talks of clothes, talks of beds, talks of garlands, talks of perfumes, talks of relatives, talks of vehicles, talks of villages, talks of towns, talks of cities, talks of countries, talks of women, talks of heroes, talks of streets, talks of watering places, talks of departed spirits, talks of diversity, talks of the world, talks of the ocean, talks of existence and non-existence; they even step on and kill insects, and disturb monks from their concentration. Those monks who were of few desires… they complained, grumbled, and criticized: “How can these group-of-six monks rise at dawn in the morning, put on wooden sandals, and walk in the open air, making loud noises, great noises, clattering noises, telling various kinds of animal talk, such as: talks of kings, talks of robbers… talks of existence and non-existence; they even step on and kill insects, and disturb monks from their concentration!” Then those monks reported this matter to the Blessed One… “Is it true, monks, that the group-of-six monks rise at dawn in the morning, put on wooden sandals, and walk in the open air, making loud noises, great noises, clattering noises, telling various kinds of animal talk, such as: talks of kings, talks of robbers… talks of existence and non-existence; they even step on and kill insects, and disturb monks from their concentration?” “It is true, Blessed One.” … Having rebuked them, and given a discourse on the Dhamma, he addressed the monks: “Monks, wooden sandals are not to be worn. Whoever wears them commits an offense of wrong-doing.” Then the Blessed One, having stayed in Rājagaha as long as he wished, set out on a journey to Bārāṇasī. Journeying by stages, he arrived at Bārāṇasī. There, the Blessed One dwelt in Bārāṇasī, at Isipatana. In the deer park. Now at that time, the group-of-six bhikkhus, (thinking) "Wooden sandals have been forbidden by the Blessed One," had young palm trees cut down and wore palm-leaf sandals. Those young palm trees, being cut, withered. People complained, grumbled, and criticized: "How can these Sakyan recluses have young palm trees cut down and wear palm-leaf sandals? Those young palm trees, being cut, wither. The Sakyan recluses harm a one-faculty life!" The bhikkhus heard those people complaining, grumbling,