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The Sandal Chapter of the Jātaka: The Shoe That Bites, the Still Heron, and Love With a Cause
Everyday life

The Sandal Chapter of the Jātaka: The Shoe That Bites, the Still Heron, and Love With a Cause

Upāhanavaggo

Short Jātaka verses from the Upāhana Vagga: a pupil who turns his learning against his teacher is like a shoe that bites its owner; don't praise anyone before knowing their conduct; love arises from past living together and present kindness; diligence joined with virtue and patience; and the cycle of oppression.

7 points

The Upāhana Vagga is the ninth chapter of the Book of Twos in the Jātaka, Khuddaka Nikāya, and contains ten Jātakas. In the Tipiṭaka each has only two or three verses; the prose stories of who spoke to whom and in what situation come from the Jātaka commentary (Jātakaṭṭhakathā).

This page draws on verses from seven Jātakas with lessons usable in daily life: the Upāhana, Vikaṇṇaka, Baka, Sāketa, Ekapada, Haritamāta and Mahāpiṅgala Jātakas. Each point follows the verses; anything taken from the commentary is labelled as such.

The remaining Jātakas of the chapter — the Vīṇāthūṇa, Asitābhū and Vacchanakha — are not included here.

  1. 1

    The shoe that bites its owner Anariyo vuccatupāhanūpamo

    The verse compares a sandal bought for comfort which, scorched by the sun and chafing, bites the wearer's foot, to an ignoble person who learns a skill from a teacher and then harms himself with that very learning; he is called like the sandal. The commentary tells of a pupil who learned from his teacher and then challenged him, only to be defeated himself.

    Applying it in daily life

    Build freely on what you learn from teachers, bosses or colleagues, but never use it to betray those who gave it; in the end it destroys you.

  2. 2

    Bait that comes with an inviting sound Lokāmisamopatanto

    The verse tells of a crocodile, greedy for food, following the fish until it is struck by a harpoon, destroyed by food offered to the sound of a drum. It teaches that one who falls for the world's bait and follows the whims of the mind is struck down in the midst of relatives and friends.

    Applying it in daily life

    Offers that are too good to be true often come with loud invitations. Before accepting, ask whether you're following desire or need.

  3. 3

    Don't praise before knowing the conduct Nāssa sīlaṃ vijānātha anaññāya pasaṃsatha

    The first verse praises a heron: how fine it is, standing still with both wings folded, calm as if meditating. The second replies: you don't know its conduct and praise it without knowing; it doesn't protect us — that's why it doesn't move.

    Applying it in daily life

    Don't trust someone just because they look calm or speak well about virtue. Watch their conduct over time before placing your trust.

  4. 4

    Love arises from two causes Pubbeva sannivāsena paccuppannahitena vā

    The verse asks the Blessed One why the heart stays indifferent on seeing some people yet grows bright on seeing others. He answers that love arises from living together in the past or from present kindness, as a lotus arises depending on water and mud. The commentary tells of a brahmin couple in Sāketa who called the Buddha their son because they had been his parents in past lives.

    Applying it in daily life

    If you want warmer relationships at home or at work, the part you can always do is to be kind today.

  5. 5

    One principle with many benefits Dakkheyyekapadaṃ tāta

    A son asks his father for a single principle that gathers many benefits. The father answers: diligence, joined with virtue and accompanied by patience, which can bring happiness to friends or suffering to enemies.

    Applying it in daily life

    Diligence without virtue can turn into cunning; diligence without patience can burn out fast. Check whether your hard work has both.

  6. 6

    Whoever plunders is plundered in turn Vilumpateva puriso yāvassa upakappati

    In the first verse, a venomous snake that has entered the mouth of a fish trap and is being bitten by the fish asks a frog whether it approves. The second replies: a man plunders as long as he has the power, and when others plunder him, the plunderer is plundered in turn.

    Applying it in daily life

    Using position or strength to press others may work for a while, but it starts a cycle of retaliation no one wins. If you're in such a cycle, be the first to stop.

  7. 7

    When a cruel ruler is gone Sabbo jano hiṃsito piṅgalena

    The verses say all the people were oppressed by King Piṅgala, and when he died they rejoiced. Yet the gatekeeper wept — not out of love, but fearing the king would oppress the King of Death and be sent back. The commentary links this to people's relief at the death of Devadatta.

    Applying it in daily life

    Anyone in authority should ask: if I moved on one day, would those left behind feel relief or miss me?

Try it in daily life

Jātaka verses are very short, so they make good reminders. When you're about to praise someone for their composed manner, remember the heron standing still. When you gain knowledge from someone, remember the shoe that bites its owner's foot.

The lesson on love in the Sāketa Jātaka offers a gentle view of relationships: attachment doesn't arise from nowhere, but from living together and helping each other, so it can be tended through kindness today.

The verses on oppression and on the cruel king warn anyone with power, at home or at work, that what we do to others comes back as the way people around us feel about us.

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Sources in the Tipiṭaka

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