English
The Chapter on Medicines The Discourse on Five Medicines At that time, the Buddha, the Blessed One, was staying at Sāvatthī, in Jeta's Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika's monastery. Now at that time, monks afflicted by an autumn sickness, vomited even the gruel they drank, and the food they ate. Because of this, they were thin, wasted, pale, jaundiced, their bodies covered with veins. The Blessed One saw those monks thin, wasted, pale, jaundiced, their bodies covered with veins. Having seen them, he addressed the Venerable Ānanda: "Why, Ānanda, are the monks now thin, wasted, pale, jaundiced, their bodies covered with veins?" "Just now, Venerable Sir, monks afflicted by an autumn sickness, vomit even the gruel they drink, and the food they eat. Because of this, they are thin, wasted, pale, jaundiced, their bodies covered with veins." Then, the Blessed One, having retired in solitude, this thought arose in his mind: "Just now, monks afflicted by an autumn sickness, vomit even the gruel they drink, and the food they eat. Because of this, they are thin, wasted, pale, jaundiced, their bodies covered with veins. What medicine might I allow for the monks, which would be medicine, and considered medicine by the world, and serve as nourishment, yet not be perceived as coarse food?" Then it occurred to the Blessed One: "These are the five medicines: namely, ghee, fresh butter, oil, honey, and treacle. They are medicines, and considered medicines by the world, they serve as nourishment, and are not perceived as coarse food. What if I were to allow these five medicines for the monks, to be received at the proper time, and consumed at the proper time?" Then the Blessed One, having risen from solitude in the evening, on this occasion, on this matter... Then, having given a Dhamma talk, he addressed the bhikkhus: "Here, bhikkhus, as I was secluded, reflecting in solitude, this thought arose in my mind: 'Now, bhikkhus, afflicted by the autumn sickness, even the gruel they drink is vomited up, even the food they eat is vomited up. Because of that, they are thin, withered, pale, jaundiced, their bodies covered with veins. What medicine might I allow the bhikkhus, which would be medicine, and considered medicine by the world, and would serve as nourishment, and not be considered coarse food?' Then, bhikkhus, it occurred to me: 'These are the five medicines: namely, ghee, fresh butter, oil, honey, and treacle. They are medicines, and considered medicines by the world, and they serve as nourishment, and are not considered coarse food. Why don't I allow the bhikkhus these five medicines, to be received at the proper time, and consumed at the proper time?' I allow, bhikkhus, those five medicines to be received at the proper time, and consumed at the proper time." 261. Now at that time, the bhikkhus received those five medicines at the proper time, and consumed them at the proper time. But even their ordinary, coarse foods did not agree with them, much less the rich ones. Afflicted by that autumn sickness, and by this food disagreement, by both of these, they became even more thin, withered, pale, jaundiced, their bodies covered with veins. The Blessed One saw those bhikkhus even more thin, withered, pale, jaundiced, their bodies covered with veins. Having seen them, he addressed Venerable Ānanda: "Why, Ānanda, are the bhikkhus now even more thin, withered, pale, jaundiced, their bodies covered with veins?" "Now, Bhante, the bhikkhus... those five medicines they receive at the right time, they consume at the right time. Even their ordinary, coarse food does not cover them, much less the senesika food. They, afflicted by that autumn illness, and by this lack of food and covering, were, by both, even more emaciated, coarse, ill-complexioned, yellowish-pale, with veins spread over their bodies. Then the Blessed One, on this occasion, on this matter, having given a Dhamma talk, addressed the bhikkhus: "I allow, bhikkhus, those five medicines to be received and consumed at the right time and at the wrong time." 262. At that time, sick bhikkhus needed medicines of fats. They reported this matter to the Blessed One. "I allow, bhikkhus, medicines of fats: bear fat, fish fat, porpoise fat, pig fat, donkey fat— received at the right time, cooked at the right time, mixed at the right time, to be consumed with oil. If, bhikkhus, received at the wrong time, cooked at the wrong time, mixed at the wrong time, and one consumes it, there is an offense of three dukkaṭas. If, bhikkhus, received at the right time, cooked at the wrong time, mixed at the wrong time, and one consumes it, there is an offense of two dukkaṭas. If, bhikkhus, received at the right time, cooked at the right time, mixed at the wrong time, and one consumes it, there is an offense of one dukkaṭa. If, bhikkhus, received at the right time, cooked at the right time, mixed at the right time, and one consumes it, there is no offense." The discourse on the five medicines is finished. 161. The discourse on root medicines, etc. 263. At that time, sick bhikkhus needed medicines of roots. They reported this matter to the Blessed One. "I allow, bhikkhus, root medicines: turmeric, ginger, calamus, calamus root, ativisa, kaṭukarohiṇī, usīra, bhaddamuttaka, or any other And whatever roots there are as medicines, which do not spread as edibles for eating, nor as foods for consuming, these – having received, may be kept for life; if there is a reason, they may be used. For one who uses them without a reason, there is an offense of wrong-doing. Now at that time, sick bhikkhus had a need for medicines from roots, for poultices. They reported this matter to the Blessed One. "I allow, bhikkhus, turmeric and young turmeric." Now at that time, sick bhikkhus had a need for medicines from astringents. They reported this matter to the Blessed One. "I allow, bhikkhus, astringent medicines – neem astringent, kutaja astringent, patola astringent, phaggava astringent, nattamāla astringent, or whatever other astringent medicines there are, which do not spread as edibles for eating, nor as foods for consuming, these – having received, may be kept for life; if there is a reason, they may be used. For one who uses them without a reason, there is an offense of wrong-doing." Now at that time, sick bhikkhus had a need for medicines from leaves. They reported this matter to the Blessed One. "I allow, bhikkhus, leaf medicines – neem leaf, kutaja leaf, patola leaf, tulasi leaf, cotton leaf, or whatever other leaf medicines there are, which do not spread as edibles for eating, nor as foods for consuming… and so on." Now at that time, sick bhikkhus had a need for medicines from fruits. They reported this matter to the Blessed One. "I allow, bhikkhus, fruit medicines – bilaṅga, long pepper, black pepper, haritaki, vibhitaka, amalaka, goṭṭhaphala, or whatever other fruit medicines there are, which do not spread as edibles for eating, not for food as food. … At that time, sick monks needed resins as medicine. They reported this matter to the Blessed One. I allow, monks, resins as medicine: asafoetida, asafoetida resin, asafoetida peel, taka, taka leaf, taka foliage, pine resin, or any other resins that are medicines, not for edibles as edibles. … At that time, sick monks needed salts as medicine. They reported this matter to the Blessed One. I allow, monks, salts as medicine: sea salt, black salt, rock salt, earth salt, bilala salt, or any other salts that are medicines, not for edibles as edibles, not for food as food. Having received them, they may be kept for life; they may be consumed if there is a reason. If consumed without a reason, there is an offense of wrong-doing. 264. At that time, the Venerable Ānanda’s preceptor, the Venerable Belaṭṭhasīsa, suffered from a severe skin disease. His robes stuck to his body with pus, and the monks would moisten them with water and pull them off. The Blessed One, wandering for lodgings, saw those monks moistening those robes with water and pulling them off. Having seen them, he approached those monks, and having approached them, he said to those monks: “What is this monk’s ailment, monks?” “Bhante, this Venerable One has a severe skin disease; his robes stick to his body with pus, and we moisten them with water and pull them off.” Then the Blessed One, on this occasion, on this matter, gave a Dhamma talk and addressed the monks: “I allow, monks, for one who has an itch, or boils, or a discharge, or a severe skin disease, or whose body is foul-smelling, powders medicines. For one who is not sick, dung, clay, and dye-residue. I allow, monks, a mortar and a pestle. Now at that time, sick monks needed medicines mixed with powders. They reported this matter to the Blessed One. I allow, monks, a cloth-strainer for powders. They needed fine strainers. They reported this matter to the Blessed One. I allow, monks, a cloth-strainer for fine substances. Now at that time, a certain monk suffered from a non-human affliction. His teachers and preceptors, attending to him, were unable to make him well. He went to a pigsty, ate raw meat, and drank raw blood. His non-human affliction subsided. They reported this matter to the Blessed One. I allow, monks, raw meat and raw blood for non-human afflictions. 265. Now at that time, a certain monk suffered from an eye disease. The monks, supporting him, helped him to excrete feces and urine. The Blessed One, wandering for lodgings, saw those monks supporting that monk and helping him to excrete feces and urine. Having seen them, he approached those monks. Having approached, he said to those monks: “What is this monk’s ailment, monks?” “This venerable one, sir, has an eye disease. We are supporting him and helping him to excrete feces and urine.” Then the Blessed One, on this occasion, on this matter, gave a Dhamma talk and addressed the monks: “I allow, monks, collyrium: black collyrium, rasañjana collyrium, sotañjana collyrium,