English
8. The Robe Chapter 202. The Story of Jīvaka 326. At that time, the Buddha, the Blessed One, was dwelling in Rājagaha, in the Bamboo Grove, at Kalandakanivāpa. And at that time, Vesālī was prosperous, and flourishing, and populous, and crowded with people, and well-supplied with food; and seven thousand palaces, and seven hundred palaces, and seven palaces; and seven thousand pinnacled houses, and seven hundred pinnacled houses, and seven pinnacled houses; and seven thousand parks, and seven hundred parks, and seven parks; and seven thousand lotus ponds, and seven hundred lotus ponds, and seven lotus ponds; and Ambapālī, the courtesan, was beautiful, charming, pleasing, endowed with supreme beauty of complexion, skilled in dancing, and singing, and playing instruments, sought after by those who desired her, and earned fifty (coins) a night; and by her, Vesālī was adorned even more. Then a certain merchant from Rājagaha went to Vesālī for some business. And that merchant from Rājagaha saw Vesālī, prosperous, and flourishing, and populous, and crowded with people, and well-supplied with food; and seven thousand palaces, and seven hundred palaces, and seven palaces; and seven thousand pinnacled houses, and seven hundred pinnacled houses, and seven pinnacled houses; and seven thousand parks, and seven hundred parks, and seven parks; and seven thousand lotus ponds, and seven hundred lotus ponds, and seven lotus ponds; and Ambapālī, the courtesan, beautiful, charming, pleasing, endowed with supreme beauty of complexion, skilled in dancing, and singing, and playing instruments, sought after by those who desired her, and earning fifty (coins) a night, and by her, Vesālī was adorned even more. 327. Then that merchant from Rājagaha, having completed his business in Vesālī, returned to Rājagaha. To the Magadhan king... Seniyo Bimbisāra approached him, and having approached, he said to King Seniyo Bimbisāra of Magadha: “Vesālī, lord, is prosperous and thriving, populous and crowded with people, and well-provisioned; and there are seven thousand palaces… and by that Vesālī is even more adorned. It would be good, lord, if we too were to establish a courtesan.” “In that case, good sirs, find such a maiden as you would establish as a courtesan.” Now at that time in Rājagaha there was a maiden named Sālavatī, beautiful, lovely, charming, endowed with supreme beauty of complexion. Then the citizens of Rājagaha established the maiden Sālavatī as a courtesan. Then the courtesan Sālavatī soon became skilled in dancing, singing, and playing musical instruments, and she would go to those who desired her for a hundred (coins) a night. Then the courtesan Sālavatī soon became pregnant. Then this thought occurred to the courtesan Sālavatī: “Indeed, a pregnant woman is displeasing to men. If anyone knows that the courtesan Sālavatī is pregnant, all my income will be lost. What if I were to report myself as ill?” Then the courtesan Sālavatī instructed the doorkeeper: “Do not, good doorkeeper, let any man enter. And whoever asks for me, report that I am ill.” “Yes, madam,” the doorkeeper replied to the courtesan Sālavatī. Then the courtesan Sālavatī, when that pregnancy had come to full term, gave birth to a son. Then the courtesan Sālavatī instructed a maidservant: “Come, my dear, put this child in a winnowing basket, take him out, and throw him on a rubbish heap.” “Yes, madam,” that maidservant replied to the courtesan Sālavatī, and putting that child in a winnowing basket, she took him out and threw him on a rubbish heap. 328. Now at that time, Prince Abhaya One morning, as the king was going to the royal court, he saw that boy surrounded by crows. Seeing him, he asked the people, "What is this, sirs, surrounded by crows?" "A boy, Your Majesty." "Is he alive, sirs?" "He is alive, Your Majesty." "Then, sirs, take that boy to our inner palace and give him to the nurses to raise." "Yes, Your Majesty," those people, having assented to Prince Abhaya, took that boy to Prince Abhaya's inner palace and gave him to the nurses, saying, "Raise him." Because he was alive (jīvati), they named him Jīvaka. Because he was raised by the prince (kumārena posāpito), they named him Komārabhacca. Then, Jīvaka Komārabhacca soon attained understanding. Then, Jīvaka Komārabhacca went to Prince Abhaya; having approached, he said to Prince Abhaya, "Who is my mother, Your Majesty? Who is my father?" "I do not know your mother, Jīvaka; but I am your father; you were raised by me." Then, Jīvaka Komārabhacca thought, "It is not easy to live in these royal families without a skill. What if I were to learn a skill?" 329. Now, at that time, a famous physician lived in Takkasilā. Then, Jīvaka Komārabhacca, without asking Prince Abhaya, departed for Takkasilā. Gradually, he went to Takkasilā, to the physician; having approached, he said to that physician, "I wish, master, to learn a skill." "Then, Jīvaka, learn it." Then, Jīvaka Komārabhacca learned much and learned quickly and retained it well; what he learned he did not forget. Then, after the lapse of seven years, Jīvaka Komārabhacca thought, "I learn much and learn quickly and retain it well." and I retain well, and what I have learned I do not forget. And for seven years I have been studying, yet I do not see an end to this craft. When will there be an end to this craft?” Then Jīvaka Komārabhacca approached that physician. Having approached, he said to that physician: “Teacher, I learn much and I learn quickly, and I retain well, and what I have learned I do not forget. And for seven years I have been studying, yet I do not see an end to this craft. When will there be an end to this craft?” “Then, my dear Jīvaka, take a spade, and wander for a league around Takkasilā, and whatever you see that is not medicine, bring it here.” “Yes, teacher,” Jīvaka Komārabhacca replied to that physician. Taking a spade, he wandered for a league around Takkasilā, and he saw nothing that was not medicine. Then Jīvaka Komārabhacca approached that physician. Having approached, he said to that physician: “Teacher, I wandered for a league around Takkasilā, and I saw nothing that was not medicine.” “You are well-trained, my dear Jīvaka. This much is enough for your livelihood.” And he gave Jīvaka Komārabhacca a small amount of provisions. Then Jīvaka Komārabhacca, taking that small amount of provisions, departed for Rājagaha. Then, for Jīvaka Komārabhacca, that small amount of provisions ran out on the way, in Sāketa. Then it occurred to Jīvaka Komārabhacca: “These roads are wildernesses, with little water and little food. It is not easy to go without provisions. What if I were to seek provisions?” The story of Jīvaka is finished. 203. The Story of the Setthī’s Wife 330. Now at that time, in Sāketa, the setthī’s wife had a headache of seven years’ duration. Many great and renowned physicians came, and they did not They were unable to make her well. They took much gold and went away. Then Jīvaka the royal physician, entering Sāketa, asked the people: "Who, sirs, is ill? Whom shall I treat?" "This merchant's wife, master, has a seven-year headache; go, master, treat the merchant's wife." Then Jīvaka the royal physician approached the house of the merchant householder. Having approached, he ordered the doorkeeper: "Go, sir doorkeeper, tell the merchant's wife: 'The physician, lady, has come; he wishes to see you.'" "Yes, master," that doorkeeper, having assented to Jīvaka the royal physician, approached the merchant's wife. Having approached, he said to the merchant's wife: "The physician, lady, has come; he wishes to see you." "What kind of physician, sir doorkeeper, is he?" "He is young, lady." "Enough, sir doorkeeper! What can a young physician do for me? Many great, renowned physicians came and were unable to make me well. They took much gold and went away." Then that doorkeeper approached Jīvaka the royal physician. Having approached, he said to Jīvaka the royal physician: "The merchant's wife, master, says this: 'Enough, sir doorkeeper! What can a young physician do for me? Many great, renowned physicians came and were unable to make me well. They took much gold and went away.'" "Go, sir doorkeeper, tell the merchant's wife: 'The physician, lady, says this: "Lady, please do not give anything beforehand. When you are well, then you may give whatever you wish."'" "Yes, master," that doorkeeper, having assented to Jīvaka the royal physician, approached the merchant's wife. Having approached, he said to the merchant's wife: "The physician, lady, says this: 'Lady, please do not give anything beforehand. When you are well, then..." whatever you wish, that you may give.” “Then, friend doorkeeper, let the physician come.” “Yes, lady,” so that doorkeeper, having assented to the merchant’s wife, approached Jīvaka Komārabhacca. Having approached, he said to Jīvaka Komārabhacca: “The merchant’s wife, teacher, sends for you.” Then Jīvaka Komārabhacca approached the merchant’s wife. Having approached, and having observed the merchant’s wife’s ailment, he said to the merchant’s wife: “A measure of ghee is needed, lady.” Then the merchant’s wife had a measure of ghee given to Jīvaka Komārabhacca. Then Jīvaka Komārabhacca, having cooked that measure of ghee with various medicines, and having laid the merchant’s wife supine on the bed, administered it as a nasal medicine. Then that ghee, given as a nasal medicine, came out through her mouth. Then the merchant’s wife, having spat into a spittoon, ordered a maidservant: “Here, girl, take this ghee with a rag.” Then it occurred to Jīvaka Komārabhacca: “How wonderful, how stingy this householder is! For she will have this ghee, which is to be discarded, taken with a rag. And many expensive medicines have been used by me. Will she give me any gift?” Then the merchant’s wife, having observed Jīvaka Komārabhacca’s mood, said to Jīvaka Komārabhacca: “Why are you, teacher, displeased?”