Ancient Indian Education (Brahmanical and Buddhist) c23.39

c23.39

**Foot-wear.** The use of shoes or foot-wear was permitted when rough paths had to be trodden, as has been already stated. Shoes "with only one lining to them" were permitted [*Mahāv.*, v, 1, 30] but even these must not be worn "in the open Ārāma" [ib., 4, 2], or "in going into the villages" [ib., 12], except in cases of sickness. The texts give various descriptions of possible and impossible shoes and the materials for their manufacture only to forbid their use. An incoming Bhikkhu, when about to enter an Ārāma, must "take off his sandals, turn them upside down, beat them to get the dust off, and take them up again in his hand" and, on entering the premises, must "ask for the cloths with which sandals are cleaned and clean his sandals" first with a dry, and afterwards with a wet, cloth and then lay the cloths duly washed on one side [*Chullav.*, viii, 1, 2].