(Mv.V.6.3) Now on that occasion the Group-of-six monks, getting up as the night was ending, put on wooden footwear and walked back and forth in the open — making a great noise, a great racket, a clattering noise — engaging in many kinds of bestial topics of conversation: conversation about kings, robbers, & ministers of state; armies, alarms, & battles; food & drink; clothing, furniture, garlands, & scents; relatives; vehicles; villages, towns, cities, the countryside; women & heroes; the gossip of the street & the well; tales of the dead; tales of diversity, the creation of the world & of the sea; talk of whether things exist or not, [2] and they stepped on insects and killed them, and made monks fall from concentration.

(Mv.V.6.4) Those monks who were modest … criticized and complained and spread it about:

“How can the Group-of-six monks, getting up as the night is ending, put on wooden footwear and walk back and forth in the open — making a great noise, a great racket, a clattering noise — engaging in many kinds of bestial topics of conversation: conversation about kings, robbers … talk of whether things exist or not, and step on insects and kill them, and make monks fall from concentration?”

Then the monks reported the matter to the Blessed One.

“Is it true, monks, as they say, that the Group-of-six monks, getting up as the night is ending, put on wooden footwear and walk back and forth in the open — making a great noise, a great racket, a clattering noise — engaging in many kinds of bestial topics of conversation: conversation about kings, robbers … talk of whether things exist or not, and step on insects and kill them, and make monks fall from concentration?”

“It’s true, O Blessed One.”

Having rebuked him and given a Dhamma talk, he addressed the monks:

“Wooden footwear should not be worn. Whoever should wear it: an offense of wrong doing.”

(Mv.V.7.1) [11] Then the Blessed One, having stayed at Rājagaha as long as he liked, set out on a wandering tour toward Bārāṇasī, and traveling by stages, arrived at Bārāṇasī. At Bārāṇasī, the Blessed One stayed in the Game Reserve at Isipatana. Now at that time the Group-of-six monks, (thinking,) “The Blessed One has prohibited wooden footwear,” had them cut (leaves) from young palmyra trees and wore palmyra-leaf footwear. The young palmyra trees, being cut, withered. People criticized and complained and spread it about, “How can these Sakyan-son contemplatives have them cut (leaves) from young palmyra trees and wear palmyra-leaf footwear? The young palmyra trees, being cut, are withering. The Sakyan-son contemplatives are harming one-facultied life.”

The monks heard the people criticizing and complaining and spreading it about. Then the monks reported the matter to the Blessed One.

“Monks, is it true, as they say, that the Group-of-six monks had them cut (leaves) from young palmyra trees and wore palmyra-leaf footwear, so that the young palmyra trees, being cut, are withering?”

“It’s true, O Blessed One.”

The Buddha, the Blessed One, rebuked them, “Monks, how can these worthless men have them cut (leaves) from young palmyra trees and wear palmyra-leaf footwear, so that the young palmyra trees, being cut, wither? People perceive trees to have a soul.”

“Monks, this neither inspires faith in the faithless ...”

Having rebuked him and given a Dhamma talk, he addressed the monks:

“Palmyra-leaf footwear should not be worn. Whoever should wear it: an offense of wrong doing.”

(Mv.V.7.3) Now at that time the Group-of-six monks, (thinking,) “The Blessed One has prohibited palmyra-leaf footwear,” had them cut (leaves) from young bamboo plants and wore bamboo-leaf footwear. The young bamboo plants, being cut, withered. People criticized and complained and spread it about, “How can these Sakyan-son contemplatives have them cut (leaves) from young bamboo plants and wear bamboo-leaf footwear? The young bamboo plants, being cut, are withering. The Sakyan-son contemplatives are harming one-facultied life.”

The monks heard the people criticizing and complaining and spreading it about. Then the monks reported the matter to the Blessed One. …

“Bamboo-leaf footwear should not be worn. Whoever should wear it: an offense of wrong doing.”

(Mv.V.8.1) [12] Then the Blessed One, having stayed at Bārāṇasī as long as he liked, set out on a wandering tour toward Bhaddiya, and traveling by stages, arrived at Bhaddiya. At Bhaddiya, the Blessed One stayed in Jāti’s Grove. Now at that time the Bhaddiya monks lived devoted to various kinds of footwear decoration: They made footwear (woven) of grass or had it made; they made footwear (woven) of muñja grass or had it made; they made footwear (woven) of reeds or had it made; they made footwear (woven) of marshy date-palm or had it made; they made footwear (woven) of kamala grass or had it made; they made footwear (knitted from) wool or had it made. They neglected recitation, cross-questioning, (and training in) heightened virtue, heightened mind, and heightened discernment.

(Mv.V.8.2) Those monks who were modest … criticized and complained and spread it about:

“How can the Bhaddiya monks live devoted to various kinds of footwear decoration? They make footwear (woven) of grass or have it made; they make footwear (woven) of muñja grass or have it made; they make footwear (woven) of reeds or have it made; they make footwear (woven) of marshy date-palm or have it made; they make footwear (woven) of kamala grass or have it made; they make footwear (knitted from) wool or have it made. They neglect recitation, cross-questioning, (and training in) heightened virtue, heightened mind, and heightened discernment!”

Then the monks reported the matter to the Blessed One.

“Monks, is it true, as they say, that the Bhaddiya monks live devoted to various kinds of footwear decoration: (that) they make footwear (woven) of grass or have it made; they make footwear (woven) of muñja grass or have it made; they make footwear (woven) of reeds or have it made; they make footwear (woven) of marshy date-palm or have it made; they make footwear (woven) of kamala grass or have it made; they make footwear (knitted from) wool or have it made; they neglect recitation, cross-questioning, (and training in) heightened virtue, heightened mind, and heightened discernment?”

“It’s true, O Blessed One.”

The Buddha, the Blessed One, rebuked them, “Monks, how can these worthless men live devoted to various kinds of footwear decoration? They make footwear (woven) of grass or have it made; they make footwear (woven) of muñja grass or have it made; they make footwear (woven) of reeds or have it made; they make footwear (woven) of marshy date-palm or have it made; they make footwear (woven) of kamala grass or have it made; they make footwear (knitted from) wool or have it made. They neglect recitation, cross-questioning, (and training in) heightened virtue, heightened mind, and heightened discernment.”

“Monks, this neither inspires faith in the faithless ...”

(Mv.V.8.3) Having rebuked him and given a Dhamma talk, he addressed the monks:

“Footwear (woven) of grass should not be worn. Footwear (woven) of muñja grass should not be worn. Footwear (woven) of reeds should not be worn. Footwear (woven) of marshy date-palm should not be worn. Footwear (woven) of kamala-grass should not be worn. Footwear (knitted from) wool should not be worn.

“Footwear made with gold should not be worn. Footwear made with silver should not be worn. Footwear made with gems should not be worn. Footwear made with lapis lazuli should not be worn. Footwear made with crystal should not be worn. Footwear made with bronze should not be worn. Footwear made with glass (mirrors) should not be worn. Footwear made with tin should not be worn. Footwear made with lead should not be worn. Footwear made with copper should not be worn. Whoever should wear it: an offense of wrong doing.

“Any non-leather footwear that is meant for walking should not be worn. Whoever should wear it: an offense of wrong doing. I allow three kinds of non-leather footwear if fixed permanently in place[3] and not meant for walking: defecation footrests, urination footrests, and washing footrests.

(Mv.V.9.1) [13] Then the Blessed One, having stayed at Bhaddiya as long as he liked, set out on a wandering tour toward Sāvatthī, and traveling by stages, arrived at Sāvatthī.

At Sāvatthī, the Blessed One stayed in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s Monastery.

Now on that occasion the Group-of-six monks — as cattle were crossing at the Aciravatī River — grabbed them by their horns, grabbed them by their ears, grabbed them by their dewlaps [necks], grabbed them by their tails, mounted on their backs, touched their sexual organs with lustful thoughts [intention], and dunked young female calves, killing them.

(Mv.V.9.2) People criticized and complained and spread it about, “How can these Sakyan-son contemplatives — as cattle are crossing — grab them by their horns, grab them by their ears, grab them by their dewlaps [necks], grab them by their tails, mount on their backs, touch their sexual organs with lustful thoughts, and dunk young female calves, killing them, just like householders partaking of sensuality?”

The monks heard the people criticizing and complaining and spreading it about. Then the monks reported the matter to the Blessed One.

“Is it true, monks, as they say …”[4]

“It’s true, O Blessed One.” …

(Mv.V.9.3) Having rebuked them, … Having given a Dhamma talk, he addressed the monks:

“One should not grab cattle by their horns. One should not grab them by their ears. One should not grab them by their dewlaps. One should not grab them by their tails. One should not mount on their backs. Whoever should mount (one): an offense of wrong doing.

“And one should not touch their sexual organs with lustful thoughts. Whoever touches (one): a grave offense.[5]

“One should not kill a young female calf. Whoever kills (one) should be dealt with in accordance with the rule.”[6]