Mahavagga, Khandaka 6, Chapter 14

1. Now at that time the venerable Pilindavaccha was troubled with wind in the stomach^[1]. The physicians said he must drink oil.

'I allow you, O Bhikkhus, a decoction of oil.'

It was necessary to put strong drink into the decoction.

'I allow you, O Bhikkhus, to put strong drink in decoctions of oil.'

Now at that time the Chabbaggiya Bhikkhus used to put too much strong drink into their decoctions of medicinal oils: and they got drunk.

'Oil should not be drunk, O Bhikkhus, when too much strong drink has been put into it. Whosoever does so, shall be dealt with according to law^[2].'

'I allow you, O Bhikkhus, to drink such decoctions of oil with strong drink in them, as wherein neither the colour, nor the smell, nor the taste of the strong drink shall be sensible.'

2. Now at that time the Bhikkhus had a quantity of decoction in which too much strong drink had been put. Then those Bhikkhus thought: 'What shall we do with this oil, which has too much strong drink in it?'

'I allow, O Bhikkhus, to use it as an ointment.'

Now at that time the venerable Pilindavaccha had a quantity of oil-decoction; but he had no vessel for it.

'I allow you, O Bhikkhus, the use of three kinds of pots, bronze pots, wooden pots, pots made of the shells of fruits^[3].'

3. Now at that time the venerable Pilindavaccha had rheumatism.

'I allow you, O Bhikkhus, to bring on sweating^[4].'

(The disease) became no better.

'I allow you, O Bhikkhus, to bring on sweating by the use of herbs which have that effect^[5].'

(The disease) became no better.

'I allow you, O Bhikkhus, the use of a great steam bath^[6].'

(The disease) became no better.

'I allow you, O Bhikkhus, the use of hemp-water (bang)^[7].'

(The disease) became no better.

'I allow you, O Bhikkhus, the use of hot baths in water in which medicinal herbs have been steeped^[8].

4. Now at that time the venerable Pilindavaccha had intermittent ague.

'I allow, O Bhikkhus, the letting of blood.'

(The disease) became no better.

'I allow you, O Bhikkhus, to make use of a horn to let blood^[9].'

Now at that time the feet of the venerable Pilindavaccha were blistered.

'I allow, O Bhikkhus, the use of ointment for the feet.'

(The disease) became no better.

'I allow you, O Bhikkhus, to keep water ready for washing the feet (of travellers)^[10].'

Now at that time a certain Bhikkhu had boils.

'I allow, O Bhikkhus, the use of the lancet.'

Decoctions of astringent herbs were required.

'I allow, O Bhikkhus, decoctions of astringent herbs^[11].'

Sesamum salve was required.

'I allow, O Bhikkhus, the use of sesamum salve^[12].'

5. Compresses were required.

'I allow, O Bhikkhus, the use of compresses^[13].'

It was necessary to tie up the sore with cloth.

'I allow, O Bhikkhus, the use of bandages for tieing up wounds.'

The sore itched.

'I allow, O Bhikkhus, the sprinkling of a sore with mustard-powder^[14].'

The sore became moist^[15].

'I allow you, O Bhikkhus, to fumigate (the sore).'

Proud flesh formed on the wound^[16].

'I allow you, O Bhikkhus, to cut off (proud flesh) with a lancet.' The wound would not close up.

'I allow, O Bhikkhus, the use of oil for wounds.'

The oil ran over.

They told this thing to the Blessed One.

'I allow, O Bhikkhus, the use of fine rags^[17], and of all kinds of ways of treating wounds.'

6. Now at that time a certain Bhikkhu was bitten by a snake.

They told this thing to the Blessed One.

'I allow, O Bhikkhus, the four kinds of filth to be given—dung, urine, ashes, and clay.'

Now the Bhikkhus thought: 'Are these things among those which may be taken even without being offered to us by others, or among things which cannot be taken unless they are offered?'

They told this thing to the Blessed One.

'I allow these things, O Bhikkhus, to be accepted if any one be there to offer them^[18], and if not, then that you may take them yourselves and use them.'

Now at that time a certain Bhikkhu had drunk poison.

'I allow you, O Bhikkhus, to give (as an emetic) a decoction of dung.'

Then the Bhikkhus thought: 'Is this among those things which may be taken even without being offered to us by others, or is it among things which cannot be taken unless they are offered?'

They told this thing to the Blessed One.

'I rule, O Bhikkhus, that there is a proper taking when a man takes what he himself has made; and that such a thing need not be received again from others.'

7. Now at that time a certain Bhikkhu suffered from the ghara-dinnaka^[19] disease.

'I allow you, O Bhikkhus, to give him to drink a decoction of soil turned up by the plough^[20].'<

Now at that time a certain Bhikkhu had constipation^[21].

'I allow you, O Bhikkhus, to give him a decoction of the ashes of burnt rice^[22].'

Now at that time a certain Bhikkhu had the jaundice.

'I allow you, O Bhikkhus, to give to drink a decoction made with (cows') urine^[23].'

Now at that time a certain Bhikkhu had skin disease.

'I allow, O Bhikkhus, the anointing with perfumes.'

Now at that time a certain Bhikkhu had a superfluity of humors in his body^[24].'

'I allow you, O Bhikkhus, to give a purgative.'

Clarified gruel was required.

'I allow, O Bhikkhus, the use of clarified gruel.'

Natural juice was required^[25].

'I allow, O Bhikkhus, the use of natural juice.'

Artificial and natural juice was required^[26].

I allow, O Bhikkhus, the use of artificial and natural juice.'

Meat broth was required^[27].

'I allow, O Bhikkhus, the use of meat broth.'

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Compare chapter 17.

[2]:

See the 51st Pācittiya.

[3]:

Compare VI, 12, I.

[4]:

Perhaps fumigations.

[5]:

Sambhāra-sedan ti nānāvidha-paṇṇa-bhaṅga-sedaṃ (B.). Apparently a poultice or fomentation in which various kinds of leaves or twigs are used.

[6]:

Mahāsedan ti mahantaṃ sedaṃ: porisa-ppamāṇaṃ āvāṭam aṅgārānaṃ pūretvā, paṃsu-vālikādīhi pidahitvā, tattha nānāvidhāni vāta-haraṇa-paṇṇāni santharitvā tela-makkhitena gattena tattha nipajjitvā samparivattantena sarīraṃ sedetuṃ anujānāmīti attho (B.). A pit, six feet deep, is filled with charcoal, and covered with a coating of earth or sand. The leaves good for rheumatism are spread over the sand. The patient reposes on the leaves on the affected limb, which has been rubbed over with oil; and turns over and over until his whole body has been well steamed.

[7]:

Bhaṅgodakan ti nānā-paṇṇa-bhaṅga-kudhita-udakaṃ. Tehi paṇṇehi ca udakena ca siñcitvā sedetabbo (B.). Bhaṅga may here mean 'broken bits,' namely, of the leaves, just as sākhā-bhaṅga at Jātaka I, 158 means 'twig.' Compare uttari-bhaṅga, Jātaka I, 197, 349; Dhammapada 171; Cullavagga VIII, 4, 4; sarīra-bhaṅga, Mahā-parinibbāna Sutta VI, 59; and bhaṅga alone at Jātaka I, 392; Mahāvagga I, 25, 10; Rh. D., 'Buddhist Suttas from the Pāli,' p. 241. For kudhita we should read kuthita.

[8]:

Dakakoṭṭhakan ti udaka-koṭṭhaṃ kāṭiṃ vā doṇiṃ vā uṇhodakassa pūretvā tattha tattha pavisitvā seda-kamma-karanaṃ anujānāmīti attho (B.). Compare Dhammapada, p.103.

[9]:

Wise, p.176, says, 'The local accumulation of bad blood may be removed by means of cupping, which is performed by a horn, cut smooth and even at the large extremity, and with a small opening at the narrow end.' Compare Suśruta, Sūtrasthāna, chap. 27, and Śarīrasthāna, chap. 8 (at the end).

[10]:

This would seem to be a preventive remedy. Water may be kept ready, so that the incoming Bhikkhus may use it, and their feet therefore may not become blistered. But perhaps pajja here means some curative application of water to the feet, such as cold water bandages, for example. Compresses (?poultices) are mentioned below (§ 5) for boils.

[11]:

Compare chapter 4.

[12]:

Buddhaghosa explains tila-kakka as ground sesamum seeds (piṭṭhehi tilehi attho); but kalka is paste or salve. See Wise, p. 129.

[13]:

Kabaḷikan ti (MS. pakalikan) vaṇa-mukhe sattu-piṇḍaṃ pakkhipituṃ (B.). Compare Böhtlingk-Roth, sub voce kavalikā.

[14]:

Sāsapa-piṭṭhena, says Buddhaghosa.

[15]:

Compare the quotations from Suśruta in Böhtlingk-Roth under klidyati.

[16]:

Vaṇa- (MS. viddhaṃ) maṃsan ti adhika-maṃsaṃ: āṇi viya uṭṭhahati (B.).

[17]:

Vikāsikan ti tela-ruddhana-pilotikaṃ (B.). See VIII, 2.

[18]:

A kappiya-kāraka is one who by offering a thing to a Bhikkhu, makes that thing kappiya, allowable, to the Bhikkhu.

[19]:

Ghara-dinnakan ti vasikaraṇa-pāna-samuṭṭhita-rogo, 'a disease arising from a philter, which when given brings another into one's power' (B.). He was bewitched, was suffering from the results of sorcery.

[20]:

Sītāloḷin ti naṅgalena kasantassa phāle lagga-mattikaṃ udakena aloḷetvā pāyetuṃ anujānāmīti attho (B.).

[21]:

Duṭṭhagahaṇiko ’ti vipanna-gahaṇiko. Kicchena uccāro nikkhamatīti. Compare Rh. D., 'Buddhist Suttas from the Pāli,' p. 260 note.

[22]:

Āmisakhāran ti sukkhodanaṃ jhāpetvā tāya charikāya paggharitaṃ khārodakaṃ (B.).

[23]:

Mutta-haritakan ti gomutta-paribhāvitaṃ harītakaṃ (B.).

[24]:

Abhisannakāyo ’ti ussanna-dosa-kāyo (B.). Dosa is a disturbance of the so-called humors in the body. Compare VIII, 1, 30.

[25]:

Akaṭa-yūsan ti asiniddho mugga-pacita-pāriyo (B.).

[26]:

Kaṭākaṭan ti so ca baddhoka-siniddho (B.).

[27]:

Compare chap. 23. 1-8.