འདལ་བ་གཞ 6
The Chapter on Going Forth; The Chapter on the Restoration Rite; The Chapter on Lifting Restrictions; The Chapter on the Rains; The Chapter on Medicines 6
- Language
- English
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caught an autumn disease. Because they had caught an autumn disease, they turned pale, became emaciated, lost their strength, and were weakened.
The buddhas, the blessed ones, ask though they already know. The Buddha, the Blessed One, asked the venerable Ānanda, “Ānanda, why have these monks turned pale, become emaciated, lost their strength, and been weakened?”
The venerable Ānanda replied, “Honored One, these monks caught an autumn disease. Because they caught an autumn disease, they have turned pale, become emaciated, lost their strength, and been weakened.”
“Ānanda,” said the Blessed One, “on account of that, I authorize¹⁰ monks to consume medicines.”
When the Blessed One said “monks may consume medicines,” the monks consumed medicines at the appropriate time (morning)¹¹ but did not consume them after the appropriate time, because they were monks who were in the habit of eating at the appropriate time. Therefore, the monks turned pale, became emaciated, lost their strength, and were weakened.
The buddhas, the blessed ones, ask though they already know. The Buddha, the Blessed One, asked the venerable Ānanda, “Ānanda, I said ‘monks may consume medicines.’ Why, then, have these monks turned pale, become emaciated, lost their strength, and been weakened?”
The venerable Ānanda replied, “The Blessed One said ‘monks may consume medicines,’ but they consumed medicines at the appropriate time and did not consume them after the appropriate time, because they are monks who are in the habit of eating at the appropriate time. Therefore, they turned pale, became emaciated, lost their strength, and were weakened.”
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“Ānanda, on account of that, I authorize monks to consume four kinds of medicines: medicines to be consumed at the appropriate time, medicines to be consumed at night, medicines to be consumed within seven days, and medicines to be consumed throughout life.¹²
“Among them, the medicines to be consumed at the appropriate time are manthā,¹³ boiled rice,¹⁴ kulmāṣa, meat, and apūpa.
“The medicines to be consumed at night are the eight kinds of drinks: coconut drink, banana drink, kola drink, aśvattha drink, udumbara drink, parūṣaka¹⁵ drink, grape drink, and kharjūra¹⁶ drink.”
A Section Index:
Coconut, banana, kola,
Aśvattha, udumbara,
Parūṣaka, grape,
And kharjūra, which is the eighth.
“Medicines to be consumed within seven days are butter oil, oil, phāṇita, honey, and śarkarā.
“Medicines to be consumed throughout life are medicines derived from roots, medicines derived from stalks, medicines derived from leaves, medicines derived from flowers, medicines derived from fruits, the five kinds of resin, the five kinds of ashes, the five kinds of salt, and the five kinds of astringents.
“Among these medicines, the medicines derived from roots are musta, vaca, turmeric, ginger, ativiṣā, and what belong to the medicines derived from roots but are not used as ingredients in a meal. The medicines derived from stalks are sandal, cavikā, padmaka, devadāru, guḍūcī, dāruharidrā, and what belong to the medicines derived from stalks but are not used as ingredients in a meal. The medicines derived from leaves are from paṭola leaves, vāśaka leaves, nimba leaves, kośātakī leaves, saptaparṇa leaves, and what belong to the medicines derived from leaves but are not used as ingredients in a meal. The medicines derived from flowers are from five kinds of flowers: vāśaka flowers, nimba flowers, dhātakī flowers, sha ta flowers, padmakesara flowers,¹⁷
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and what belong to the medicines derived from flowers but are not used as ingredients in a meal. The medicines derived from fruits¹⁸ are harītakī, āmalaka, vibhītaka, black pepper, long pepper, and what belong to the medicines derived from fruits but are not used as ingredients in a meal.
“The five kinds of resin are hiṅgu, sarjarasa, lac, beeswax, and ‘heat medicine.’
“Among them, hiṅgu is resin from the hiṅgu tree. Sarjarasa is resin from the sāla tree. Lac is lākṣā.¹⁹ Beeswax is siktha.²⁰ ‘Heat medicine’ is resin from other trees.
“What are the five kinds of ashes? They are barley ash, barley-straw ash, ash from the sarjikā tree, sesame ash, and ash from the vāśakā tree.
“What are the five kinds of salt? They are salt from the Indus, brown salt, salt from Suvarcala, salt from Romaka, and salt from the ocean.
“What are the five kinds of astringents? They are āmra astringent, nimba astringent, jambū astringent, śirīṣa astringent, and kośambaka astringent.
“Medicines to be consumed at the appropriate time, medicines to be consumed at night, medicines to be consumed within seven days, and medicines to be consumed throughout life should be consumed at the appropriate time if they are mixed with medicines to be consumed at the appropriate time. In that situation, these medicines should not be consumed at an inappropriate time (afternoon or night).
“Medicines to be consumed at night, medicines to be consumed within seven days, and medicines to be consumed throughout life should be consumed during the night if they are mixed with medicines to be consumed at night.²¹ In that situation, these medicines should not be consumed after that night.
“Medicines to be consumed within seven days and medicines to be consumed throughout life should be consumed within seven days if they are mixed with medicines to be consumed within seven days. In that situation, these medicines should not be consumed after seven days.
“Medicines to be consumed throughout life should be consumed after someone has taken formal possession of them as medicines to be consumed throughout life.
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Formal possession of the medicines should be taken in this manner: The monk who wishes to consume that medicine should wash his hands before he eats a meal, accept the medicine, sit down before another monk, and say, ‘Venerable One, please pay attention. I, named So-and-so (the monk says his name), take formal possession of this medicine as medicine to be consumed throughout life for myself and my fellow monks.’ He should say this a second and a third time. Formal possession of medicines to be consumed at night and medicines to be consumed within seven days should also be taken in the same manner as medicines to be consumed throughout life.”
II. Fat
The following took place in Śrāvastī.
A monk had a wind illness and went to a physician. The monk said, “Sir, since I have a disease like this, prescribe medicine for me.”
“Noble one,” said the physician, “consume some fat and you will recover your health.”
The monk said, “Sir, what am I? A cannibal?”
“Monk, this is your medicine,” replied the physician. “You cannot recover your health with other medicines.”
When the monks reported this matter to the Blessed One, the Blessed One said, “If the physician says, ‘Monk, this is your medicine. You cannot recover your health with other medicines,’ you should consume some fat.”
As the monks did not know what kind of fat they should consume, they asked the physician for advice. The physician said, “Noble ones, since your teacher is omniscient, go to him and ask.”
When the monks reported this matter to the Blessed One, the Blessed One said, “Five kinds of fats should be consumed. What are the five? They are fish fat, porpoise²² fat, crocodile fat, bear fat, and pig fat. But these five kinds of fats should not be consumed if they have been boiled at an inappropriate time, strained at an inappropriate time, or given at an inappropriate time, or if the monk who needs some fat has taken formal possession of the fat at an inappropriate time.
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“If the fats have been boiled at the appropriate time, but strained at an inappropriate time, and given at an inappropriate time, and if the monk who needs some fat has taken formal possession of the fat at an inappropriate time, they should not be consumed.
“If the fats have been boiled at the appropriate time and strained at the appropriate time, but given at an inappropriate time, and if the monk who needs some fat has taken formal possession of the fat at an inappropriate time, the fats should not be consumed.
“If the fats have been boiled at the appropriate time, strained at the appropriate time, and given at the appropriate time, but the monk who needs some fat has taken formal possession of the fat at an inappropriate time, the fats should not be consumed.²³
“If the fats have been boiled at the appropriate time, strained at the appropriate time, and given at the appropriate time, and if the monk who needs some fat has taken formal possession of the fat at the appropriate time, the fats should be consumed within seven days in the same manner that you would consume oil.”
The monk then consumed the fat and his health returned. When his health returned, he threw away the remains of the fat. Later, another monk contracted the same disease, and he also went to the physician and said, “Sir, since I have a disease like this, prescribe medicine for me.”
The physician also prescribed fat for him. The second monk went to the first monk and said, “Venerable one, you consumed fat and the physician also prescribed fat for me. Are there any remains of the fat?”
“Indeed there were remains, but I threw them away,” replied the first monk.
The second monk told him, “It wasn’t good to do that.”
When the monks reported this matter to the Blessed One, the Blessed One said, “Monks should not throw away the remains of fat but should keep them. I will now establish rules of customary behavior for a monk who keeps fat. A monk who keeps fat should give the remains of the fat to another monk. If the first monk does not give the remains to another monk, the first monk should put the remains in the infirmary. Anyone who needs fat should take it. If a monk who keeps the remains of fat does not act in accordance with the established rules of customary behavior, he becomes guilty of an offense.”
III. Scabies
The Blessed One was once dwelling in Śrāvastī.
At that time, a monk had scabies.
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He went to a physician and said, “Sir, since I have scabies, prescribe medicine for me.”
“Noble one,” said the physician, “use an astringent and you will recover your health.”
“Sir, what am I? One who is intoxicated with lust?”²⁴
“Monk, this is your medicine,” replied the physician. “You cannot recover your health with other medicines.”
When the monks reported this matter to the Blessed One, the Blessed One said, “If the physician says, ‘Monk, this is your medicine. You cannot recover your health with other medicines,’ you should use an astringent.”
As the monks did not know what kind of astringent they should use, they asked the physician for advice. The physician said,²⁵ “Since your teacher is omniscient, he himself must know.”
When the monks reported this matter to the Blessed One, the Blessed One said, “There are five kinds of astringents: āmra astringent, . . . .”²⁶
When the monk kneaded the astringent and smeared it on his body, the rash spread. The Blessed One said, “You should make the astringent into a powder.”
When the monks ground the damp astringent into a powder, it became lumpy. The Blessed One said, “You should dry the astringent.”
When they dried the astringent in the sun, it lost its efficacy. The Blessed One said, “You should not dry the astringent in the sun.”
When they dried the astringent in the shade, it began to decompose. The Blessed One said, “You should dry the astringent in the shade where it is warm.”
The monk bathed after he smeared his body with the astringent, so the astringent did not work. The Blessed One said, “You should bathe after completely rubbing the astringent with your hands into your skin. If, after you bathe, you again smear the astringent and bathe, the astringent will work.”
When the monk smeared the astringent, the illness went away. He threw the remains of the astringent away. Later, another monk had the same disease, and he also went to the physician and said, “Sir, since I have a disease like this, prescribe medicine for me.”
The physician also prescribed an astringent for him. The second monk went to the first monk and said, “Venerable One, you used an astringent and the physician also prescribed an astringent for me. Are there any remains of the astringent?”
The first monk said,²⁷ “I threw them away.”
The second monk told him, “It wasn’t good to do that.”
When the monks reported this matter to the Blessed One,
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the Blessed One said, “I will now establish rules of customary behavior for a monk who keeps astringents. A monk who keeps astringents should give the remains of the astringent to another monk who needs them. If the first monk does not give the remains to another monk, he should put the remains of the astringent in the infirmary. If a monk who keeps astringents does not act in accordance with the established rules of customary behavior, he becomes guilty of an offense.”
IV. Collyrium
The following took place in Śrāvastī.
A monk had an eye disease and went to a physician. The monk said, “Sir, since I have an eye disease, prescribe medicine for me.”
“Noble one,” said the physician, “use collyrium and you will recover your health.”
“Sir, what am I? One who is intoxicated with lust?”²⁸
“Monk, this is your medicine,” replied the physician. “You cannot recover your health with other medicines.”
When the monks reported this matter to the Blessed One, the Blessed One said, “If the physician says, ‘Monk, this is your medicine. You cannot recover your health with other medicines,’ you should use collyrium.”
As the monks did not know what kind of collyrium to use, they asked the physician for advice. The physician said, “Since your teacher is omniscient, he himself must know.”²⁹ When the monks reported this matter to the Blessed One, the Blessed One said, “There are five kinds of collyrium: collyrium derived from flowers, collyrium in a liquid state, collyrium in powder form, collyrium in pill form, and collyrium derived from red ocher.”³⁰
The monk recovered his health with the collyrium. Since he left the remains of the collyrium in many different places, the remains were lost. Later, another monk had an eye disease and also went to the physician, and the physician also prescribed the same collyrium for him. The second monk went to the first monk and said, “Venerable one, I also have an eye disease.
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Are there any remains of the collyrium?”
The first monk looked for the remains of the collyrium, but could not find them. He said, “Venerable one, indeed there were remains of the collyrium, but they have been lost because I left them in many different places.”
When the monks reported this matter to the Blessed One, the Blessed One said, “Monks should not leave collyrium in many different places. I will now establish rules of customary behavior for a monk who keeps collyrium. A monk who keeps collyrium should store the collyrium according to its kind. He should keep collyrium derived from flowers in a vessel, collyrium in a liquid state in a bottle, and collyrium in powder form in a tubular vessel. He should put collyrium in pill form and collyrium derived from red ocher into bags, and he should bind and hang them on a peg in the wall. If a monk who keeps collyrium does not act in accordance with the established rules of customary behavior, he becomes guilty of an offense.”³¹
V. A Man Gone Mad³²
The following took place in Śrāvastī.
At that time, the venerable Saikata, his mind agitated, went mad and wandered about. Then some brahmins and householders saw him and said, “Sirs, whose son is this?”
Others replied, “The householder So-and-so’s.”
The brahmins and householders said, “If the venerable Saikata had not gone forth among the masterless śramaṇas, who are the sons of the Śākyans, his kinsmen would have cured him.”
When the monks reported this matter to the Blessed One, the Blessed One said, “Monks, then cure the monk Saikata, asking a physician for advice.”
The monks went to a physician and said, “Sir, since a monk has a disease like this, prescribe medicine for him.”
“Noble ones,” said the physician, “let him eat raw meat and he will recover his health.”
“Sir,
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what is he? A cannibal?”
“Noble ones, this is his medicine. He cannot recover his health with other medicines.”
When the monks reported this matter to the Blessed One, the Blessed One said, “If the physician says, ‘This is his medicine. He cannot recover his health with other medicines,’ you should give him raw meat.”
The monks gave the venerable Saikata raw meat, but he could not eat the raw meat. The Blessed One said, “You should give him the meat after covering his eyes with a cloth.”
They gave the venerable Saikata raw meat and untied the cloth soon after giving him the raw meat. Then the venerable Saikata saw his hands soiled with raw meat and vomited in revulsion. The Blessed One said, “You should not untie the cloth that soon, but should untie it when you have placed a pure and fine meal before him and he has washed his hands.”
After the health of the venerable Saikata returned, he wanted to eat nothing but raw meat. When the monks reported this matter to the Blessed One, the Blessed One said, “When you have your health back, you should act in accordance with the established discipline. If you eat raw meat, you become guilty of an offense.”
VI. Pilinda³³
The following took place in Rājagṛha.
The venerable Pilindavatsa had always had many illnesses and pains since he had gone forth. The monks asked him, “Elder, how do you feel?”
“Venerables, I always have many illnesses and pains. I cannot bear them,” he replied.
“Elder, what did you carry with you formerly?”
He said, “I carried a medicine bag.”
“Why do you not carry it now?”
“The Blessed One has not authorized it.”
When the monks reported this matter to the Blessed One, the Blessed One said, “Monks, on account of that, I authorize monks to carry a medicine bag.”
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When the monks put unprocessed medicines derived from roots, flowers, stalks, and fruits into the bag, the medicines spoiled. The Blessed One said, “You should gather or bundle the medicines together and hang them on a peg.”
The medicines spoiled and the Blessed One said, “From time to time you should dry them.”
When dried in the sun, the medicines lost their efficacy. The Blessed One said, “You should not dry them in the sun.”
When dried in the shade, the medicines spoiled. The Blessed One said, “You should not dry them in the shade.”
When the monks spread the medicines out and left them, the wind and rain came, but the monks did not bring the medicines inside. The Blessed One said, “You should bring the medicines inside.”
When the Blessed One said, “You should bring the medicines inside,” the monks did not know who should bring them inside. The Blessed One said, “A layman should. If there are no laymen, a novice³⁴ should. If there are no novices, a monk should bring the medicines inside.”
When the monks had brought the medicines inside, they did not consume them, since the medicines had become mixed together. The Blessed One said, “You should consume the medicines after separating them. You should not have any regrets about consuming such medicines. What I have authorized for illnesses should not be done in ordinary circumstances. If you do so, you become guilty of an offense.”
VII. Revata
A. Rice Flour and Guḍa
The following took place in Śrāvastī.
The venerable Revata used to doubt everything. Therefore, he was known by the name of “Revata the Doubter”. Early in the morning he dressed, took his robe and his bowl, and entered Śrāvastī for alms. In due course he reached the house of a guḍa³⁵ maker. When he saw that the guḍa was being kneaded with rice flour, he said, “Sir, please don’t knead the guḍa with rice flour.”
“Noble one,” asked the guḍa maker, “do you know anything else that makes guḍa bind together?”
“I do not know anything else that makes guḍa bind together,
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but we have to eat guḍa even at inappropriate times.”
The guḍa maker said, “Noble one, whether you eat it at the appropriate time or at inappropriate times, what makes guḍa bind together is this rice flour. Other things do not work.”
Later, when the community had obtained some guḍakhādanika, the venerable Revata did not eat it. His co-resident monks and pupils said, “Master, since the community has obtained some guḍakhādanika, please eat it.”
“Sirs,” replied the venerable Revata, “it is mixed with food to be eaten only at the appropriate time.”³⁶
They did not eat the guḍakhādanika either, and other monks said to them, “Venerables, though the community has guḍakhādanika, why do you not eat any?”
“Our teacher said, ‘This is mixed with food,’ ” replied the first monks.
They did not eat the guḍakhādanika, either. Their many followers and most of the entire community did not eat the guḍakhādanika.
When the monks reported this matter to the Blessed One, the Blessed One said, “You may eat the guḍakhādanika mixed with rice flour because it would be insubstantial as a meal and its origin is pure. You should not have any regrets about eating the guḍakhādanika.”
B. Barley Flour and Guḍa
The following took place in Śrāvastī.
Early in the morning the venerable Revata dressed, took his robe and his bowl, and entered Śrāvastī for alms. In due course he reached a village and saw a perfumer touch guḍa after he had touched barley flour. The venerable Revata said, “Sir, please don’t touch guḍa after you touch barley flour. We have to eat guḍa even at inappropriate times.”
“Noble one,” said the perfumer, “is there anyone to hand me water to wash my hands again and again?”
Later, the community had obtained some guḍakhādanīya,³⁷ but the venerable Revata did not eat it. His co-resident monks and pupils said, “Master, though the community has guḍakhādanīya, why do you not eat any?”
“Sirs,” replied the venerable Revata, “this is mixed with food to be eaten only at the appropriate time.”
They
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did not eat the guḍakhādanīya either, and other monks said to them, “Venerables, though the community has guḍakhādanīya, why do you not eat any?”
“Our teacher said, ‘This is mixed with food,’ ” the first monks replied.
They did not eat the guḍakhādanīya, either. Their many followers and most of the entire community did not eat the guḍakhādanīya.
When the monks reported this matter to the Blessed One, the Blessed One said, “You may eat the guḍakhādanīya mixed with barley flour because it would be insubstantial as a meal and its origin is pure. You should not have any regrets about eating the guḍakhādanīya.”
VIII. Sauvīraka
The following took place in Śrāvastī.
The venerable Śāriputra had a wind illness and the venerable Mahāmaudgalyāyana thought, “Although I have attended to the venerable Śāriputra at my own discretion many times, I have never asked a physician for advice. Now I will ask a physician for advice.” The venerable Mahāmaudgalyāyana went to a physician and said, “Sir, since the venerable Śāriputra has a disease like this, prescribe medicine for him.”
“Noble one,” said the physician, “let him eat sauvīraka with salt, and he will recover his health.”
The venerable Mahāmaudgalyāyana found sauvīraka, but there was no salt. When he began to look for the salt, the venerable Pilindavatsa said, “Venerable Mahāmaudgalyāyana, I have a horn in which the salt is kept. I have taken formal possession of that salt as medicine to be consumed throughout life. I will give you the salt if the Blessed One authorizes it.”
The venerable Śāriputra heard this and said, “Venerable Mahāmaudgalyāyana, I thought that ‘medicines to be consumed throughout life cannot be consumed when they are mixed with medicines to be consumed at the appropriate time.’ ”
When the venerable Mahāmaudgalyāyana reported this matter to the Blessed One, the Blessed One said, “Maudgalyāyana, such medicines cannot be taken. If the four kinds of medicines—medicines to be consumed at the appropriate time, medicines to be consumed at night, medicines to be consumed within seven days,
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and medicines to be consumed throughout life—are mixed with medicines to be consumed at the appropriate time, and if formal possession of these medicines has not been taken, these medicines should be consumed at the appropriate time, because they are mixed with medicines to be consumed at the appropriate time. These medicines should not be consumed after the appropriate time.
“If the three kinds of medicines—medicines to be consumed at night, medicines to be consumed within seven days, and medicines to be consumed throughout life—are mixed with medicines to be consumed at night, and if formal possession of these medicines has not been taken, these medicines should be consumed during the night, because they are mixed with medicines to be consumed at night. These medicines should not be consumed after that night.
“If the two kinds of medicines—medicines to be consumed within seven days and medicines to be consumed throughout life—are mixed with medicines to be consumed within seven days, these medicines should be consumed within seven days, because they are mixed with medicines to be consumed within seven days. These medicines should not be consumed after seven days.
“Medicines to be consumed throughout life may be consumed throughout life. If you consume the medicines in other ways, you become guilty of an offense.”
Chapter Two
Summary of Contents:
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, be’i ra to,
One Who Has Clouds, and Crows.³⁸
I. Mahāsenā
The Buddha, the Blessed One, was once traveling through the country of Kāśi and arrived in Vārāṇasī. He stayed in the Deer Park at Ṛṣivadana near Vārāṇasī.
A householder named Mahāsena was living in Vārāṇasī. He was rich and had great wealth and many possessions. His wife’s name was Mahāsenā. Both he and his wife were pious and good and had virtuous dispositions. Mahāsena heard that the Buddha, the Blessed One, had arrived in Vārāṇasī, having traveled through the country of Kāśi, and that he was staying in the Deer Park at Ṛṣivadana near Vārāṇasī. When Mahāsena heard that, he thought, “Although the Blessed One has been invited to my house many times and has had meals, he has never been offered all the requisites. Now I will offer the Blessed One all the requisites for three months.”
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He went to the Blessed One, and when he arrived, he bowed down until his forehead touched the feet of the Blessed One, and then he sat down to one side.³⁹ When he had sat down to one side, the Blessed One, through talk consistent with the Dharma, instructed, inspired, encouraged, and delighted the householder Mahāsena. After he had instructed, inspired, encouraged, and delighted him in a variety of ways through talk consistent with the Dharma, the Blessed One remained silent. Then the householder Mahāsena praised and rejoiced in the words of the Blessed One. He rose from his seat, draped his upper robe over one shoulder, made the gesture of supplication to the Blessed One, and said to him, “May the Blessed One together with the community of monks assent to my offer of the requisites for three months: namely, robes, almsfood, bedding and seats, and medicines for the sick.”
The Blessed One assented to the householder Mahāsena by remaining silent. The householder Mahāsena again praised and rejoiced in the words of the Blessed One. He bowed down until his forehead touched the Blessed One’s feet, then rose from his seat and departed.
The Blessed One together with the community of monks was then provided by the householder Mahāsena with the requisites, namely, robes, almsfood, bedding and seats, and medicines for the sick, for three months. The householder Mahāsena always rose at dawn, bowed down until his forehead touched the Blessed One’s feet, and visited the monks. There was a monk who was ill, seriously ill, afflicted with a painful illness.
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The physician told him, “Drink meat broth.” At that time, the householder Mahāsena went to that monk. When Mahāsena arrived, he bowed down until his forehead touched the feet of the monk, and he asked, “Noble one, what did the physician prescribe for you?”
“The physician said to drink meat broth,” replied the sick monk.
Then the householder Mahāsena went to his own house and said to his wife, “Since the physician told Master So-and-so to drink meat broth, prepare it and give it to him.”
The householder Mahāsena’s wife handed money to a girl and sent her to the market. However, the king’s son was born on that day, and the following prohibition was proclaimed with the ringing of bells: “Nobody may kill beings. Whoever kills any living being will be severely punished.” Therefore, the girl could not get meat in the market even with the money.
When the girl reported this matter in detail to the householder Mahāsena, the householder Mahāsena’s wife thought, “Since we have offered the community of monks headed by the Buddha all the requisites, it would not be good if a monk dies because of a lack of medicine.” She took a sharp knife, entered the house, cut off some flesh from her thigh, handed it to the girl, and said, “Girl, make broth from this flesh and take it to the noble one So-and-so.”
The girl took the broth to him, and the monk consumed the broth and recovered his health. The monk knew that the householder’s wife had served him with her own flesh in that way and thought, “It is not appropriate for me to be lying down after consuming what was given with faith. Now I will exert myself in order to attain what I have not attained, realize what I have not realized, and actualize what I have not actualized.” He then became diligent. Exerting himself, endeavoring and striving, he came to understand saṃsāra’s ever-revolving⁴⁰ five cycles;
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overthrew all conditioned states by nature subject to degradation, decline, dispersal, and destruction; abandoned all defilements; realized the state of an arhat; and became an arhat. He was free from desire for the three realms—one for whom a lump of dirt was equal to gold, for whom space was equal to the palm of his hand, who accepted being cut by an adze and being anointed with sandal paste as the same, and whose knowledge had shattered the eggshell of ignorance. He attained knowledge, supernormal knowledge, and discerning wisdom; he turned his back on worldly profit, desires, and honors; and he became an object of veneration, respect, and praise for the gods including Indra and Upendra.
There is nothing, even in the slightest, that the buddhas, the blessed ones, do not know, see, comprehend, or understand. Early the next morning, the Blessed One dressed, took his bowl and his robe, and, surrounded by a group of monks, went to the house of the householder Mahāsena, followed by the community of monks. When the Blessed One arrived, he sat on the seat prepared for him in front of the community of monks. When he had sat down, the Blessed One said to the householder Mahāsena, “Householder, the householder’s wife Mahāsenā is nowhere to be seen. Where is she?”
“Blessed One, she is in the innermost apartment because she cannot move.”
The majesty of the buddhas, the blessed ones, is inconceivable. The Blessed One exercised his magical power so that her wound healed and her own color, skin, and hair returned. Faith then having arisen in the householder Mahāsena’s wife, she appeared at the door and touched the Blessed One’s feet.
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The Blessed One asked, “Why has this householder’s wife experienced the power of a bodhisattva?”
She spoke this verse in reply:
“In saṃsāra, with no effort
A body is exceedingly easy to attain.
But even during ten billion eons,
It is exceedingly difficult to meet a person worthy of gifts.”
The householder Mahāsena then knew that the community of monks headed by the Buddha had sat down in comfort, and with his own hands he served and satisfied them with a pure and fine meal. When, with his own hands, he had served and satisfied them in a variety of ways with a pure and fine meal, and knowing that the Blessed One had finished his meal and washed his hands and his bowl, the householder took a low seat and sat before the Blessed One in order to hear the Dharma. Then the Blessed One, through talk consistent with the Dharma, instructed, inspired, encouraged, and delighted the householder Mahāsena. After having instructed, inspired, encouraged, and delighted the householder Mahāsena in a variety of ways through talk consistent with the Dharma, the Blessed One rose from his seat and departed.
Then the Blessed One went to the monastery and sat on the seat prepared for him in front of the community of monks. When he had sat down, the Blessed One said to the monks, “Monks, human flesh is the worst of all kinds of flesh. Therefore, monks should not eat human flesh. If a monk eats human flesh, he becomes guilty of a sthūlātyaya offense. I will now establish rules of customary behavior for an elder monk of the community.
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If flesh is offered, an elder monk of the community should ask, ‘What flesh is this?’ If the elder monk of the community cannot, the second elder monk should ask. If the elder monk of the community does not act in accordance with the established rules of customary behavior, he becomes guilty of an offense.”
All of the monks, feeling doubtful, inquired of the Buddha, the Blessed One, the one who severs all doubts, “How is it, O Honored One, that the householder Mahāsena’s wife served this monk with her own flesh, and, in dependence upon Mahāsenā, this monk abandoned all the defilements and actualized the state of an arhat?”
“Listen well, monks,” the Blessed One replied, “and bear in mind how, not only in the present but also in the past, she served this monk with her own flesh, and how this monk actualized the five kinds of supernormal knowledge. I will tell you about it.
“A long time ago, monks, there was a householder named Mahāsena who lived in Vārāṇasī, and his wife’s name was Mahāsenā. At that time, a brahmin schoolteacher was teaching brahmanical mantras to five hundred sons of brahmins. Faith in the brahmin having arisen in the householder Mahāsena, he offered all the requisites to him and his attendants. The householder Mahāsena honored the brahmin and his attendants.
“The householder always used to rise at dawn and look after the sick. A young brahmin then became seriously ill, afflicted with a painful illness. The physician told him, ‘Drink meat broth.’ Then the householder Mahāsena went to the young brahmin. When he arrived, he bowed and asked, ‘Young brahmin, what did the physician prescribe for you?’
“ ‘The physician told me to drink meat broth,’ the young brahmin replied.
“Then the householder Mahāsena
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went to his own house and said to his wife, ‘Since the physician told the young brahmin So-and-so to drink meat broth, prepare it and give it to him.’
“The householder Mahāsena’s wife handed money to a girl and sent her to the market. However, the king’s son was born on that day, and the following prohibition was proclaimed with the ringing of bells: ‘Nobody may kill beings. Whoever kills any being will be severely punished.’ Therefore, the girl could not get meat in the market even with the money.
“When the girl reported this matter in detail to the householder Mahāsena’s wife, the householder Mahāsena’s wife thought, ‘Since we have offered this brahmin and his attendants all the requisites, it would not be good if a young brahmin dies because of a lack of medicine.’ She took a sharp knife, entered the house, cut off some flesh from her thigh, handed it to the girl, and said, ‘Girl, make broth from this flesh and take it to the young brahmin So-and-so.’
“The girl took it to him and the young brahmin consumed it and recovered his health. The young brahmin knew that the householder’s wife had served him with her own flesh in that way and thought, ‘It is not appropriate for me to be lying down after consuming what was given with faith. Now I will endeavor to attain what I have not attained, realize what I have not realized, and actualize what I have not actualized.’ He then went to a quiet place and actualized the five kinds of supernormal knowledge.
“What do you think, monks? The one who was the householder Mahāsena’s wife at that time, on that occasion, was indeed this householder Mahāsena’s wife. The one who was the young brahmin at that time, on that occasion, was indeed this monk. She then served this monk with her own flesh and he, in dependence upon her, actualized the five kinds of supernormal knowledge.
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Now, too, she served this monk with her own flesh, and this monk, in dependence upon her, abandoned all defilements and actualized the state of an arhat.
“Therefore, monks, the maturation of entirely negative actions is entirely negative; the maturation of entirely positive actions is entirely positive; the maturation of those that are mixed is mixed. Therefore, monks, henceforth you should abandon entirely negative and mixed actions, and you should seek entirely positive actions. Monks, that is how you must train.”
II. Flesh⁴¹
A. Elephant Flesh
The following took place in Śrāvastī.
At a certain time all the elephants of King Prasenajit of Kosala had died. Since a famine had broken out, brahmins and householders started to eat elephant flesh. Early in the morning, the group of six monks dressed, took their bowls and their robes, and entered Śrāvastī for alms. When they entered a house where a householder was cooking elephant flesh in a pot, the householder’s wife said, “Noble ones, we have nothing to offer you. Please leave.”
“Is there something cooking in this pot?” asked the monks.
“Noble ones, this is elephant flesh. Do you eat elephant flesh?”
“Our lives depend on you. If you eat it, please give it to us, too.”
She then offered the elephant flesh to them. When they had gone out with their bowls full, they were seen by the other monks who were going for alms. When the other monks saw the group of six monks, they asked them, “O group of six, if your bowls are full, what’s in them?”
“We have some elephant flesh,” they replied.
“Do you eat elephant flesh?”
“Venerables, a famine has broken out. If we cannot get anything else, should we die of hunger?”
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When the monks reported this matter to the Blessed One, the Blessed One said, “Monks, since all the king’s elephants have died, if the king hears that you ate elephant flesh, will he not think, ‘Because the noble ones eat elephant flesh, my elephants have died,’ because there are gods, nāgas, humans, and other nonhuman creatures who have faith in you?⁴² Monks should not eat elephant flesh. If a monk eats elephant flesh, he becomes guilty of an offense. Horse flesh is the same as elephant flesh.”
B. Nāga Flesh
The Buddha, the Blessed One, was once staying on the bank of Ṛṣi Gargā Pond in the country of Campā.
The nāga of Campā was pious and good and had a virtuous disposition. On the eighth and the fourteenth days of every month, he left his abode, practiced the eightfold abstinence, illuminated the place, expanded his body, and gave it to others. He never harmed or frightened any beings in the world.
Since a famine had broken out, people who had lost their livelihoods, namely, herdsmen, shepherds, herb gatherers, wood gatherers, people making a living properly, and people making a living improperly, started to cut off pieces of the nāga’s flesh and eat them.
Early in the morning the group of six monks dressed, took their bowls and their robes, and entered the town for alms. When they entered a house where a householder was cooking nāga flesh in a pot, the householder’s wife said, “Noble ones, we have nothing to offer you. Please leave.”
“Is there something cooking in this pot?” asked the monks.
“Noble ones, this is nāga flesh. Do you eat nāga flesh?”
“Our lives
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depend on you. If you eat it, please give it to us, too.”
She then offered the nāga flesh to them. Most of the other people then started to eat nāga flesh too, thinking, “Even the noble ones eat it.” At that time, the wife of the nāga of Campā thought, “Because even these noble ones eat nāga flesh, most people now eat it too. How long does my husband have to bear his pain? I will ask the Blessed One.”
Then the wife of the nāga of Campā, after the first watch of that night,⁴³ went to the Blessed One, showing her noble figure. When she arrived, she bowed down until her forehead touched the feet of the Blessed One, and then she sat down to one side. At that time, the figure of the wife of the nāga of Campā radiated light, the vast splendor of which filled the entire neighborhood of Ṛṣi Gargā Pond. After she sat down, the wife of the nāga of Campā said to the Blessed One, “Honored One, my husband is pious and good and has a virtuous disposition. On the eighth and the fourteenth days of every month, he leaves his abode, practices the eightfold abstinence, and gives his body to others. He never harms or frightens any beings in the world. Since a famine has broken out, people who have lost their livelihoods, namely, herdsmen, shepherds, herb gatherers, wood gatherers, people making a living properly, and people making a living improperly, cut off pieces of the nāga’s flesh and eat them. The noble ones saw this and they too started to eat the flesh. Because the noble ones eat it, most people have also started to cut it off and eat it. How long does my husband have to bear his pain? Alas, Blessed One, please have compassion and devise some reason for the noble ones to resolve not to eat nāga flesh.”
6.24
The Blessed One assented to the wife of the nāga of Campā by remaining silent. The wife of the nāga of Campā, knowing that the Blessed One had assented by remaining silent, bowed down until her forehead touched the Blessed One’s feet and then disappeared from that very place. Then, when the night had passed, the Blessed One sat on the seat prepared for him in front of the community of monks. When he had sat down, the Blessed One said to the monks, “Monks, last night the wife of the nāga of Campā came to me after the first watch of the night, showing her noble figure. When she arrived, she bowed down until her forehead touched my feet, and then she sat down to one side. At that time, the figure of the wife of the nāga of Campā radiated light, the vast splendor of which filled the entire neighborhood of Ṛṣi Gargā Pond. After she had sat down, the wife of the Nāga of Campā said to me, ‘Honored One, my husband is pious and good and has a virtuous disposition. On the eighth and the fourteenth days of every month, he leaves his abode, practices the eightfold abstinence, and gives his body to others. He never harms or frightens any beings in the world. Since a famine has broken out, people who have lost their livelihoods, namely, herdsmen, shepherds, herb gatherers, wood gatherers, people making a living properly, and people making a living improperly, cut off pieces of the nāga’s flesh and eat them. When they began to eat the flesh, the noble ones also started to eat it. Because the noble ones also eat the flesh, most people have also started to cut it off and eat it too. How long does my husband have to bear his pain? Alas, Blessed One, please have compassion and devise some reason for the noble ones to resolve not to eat nāga flesh.’
6.25
I assented to the wife of the nāga of Campā by remaining silent, and the wife of the nāga of Campā, knowing that I had assented by remaining silent, bowed down until her forehead touched my feet and then disappeared from that very place. Now the gods also criticize, insult, and disparage the monks who ate the nāga flesh, saying, ‘Those monks, the sons of the Śākyans, have fallen away from the virtuous dharmas.’ This incident is not good, not appropriate. Therefore, monks, monks should not eat nāga flesh. If a monk eats nāga flesh, he becomes guilty of an offense.”
III. Hemorrhoids
The Blessed One was once traveling through the country of Magadha and arrived at Rājagṛha. He stayed in Kalandakanivāpa⁴⁴ Bamboo Grove near Rājagṛha.
When King Śreṇya Bimbisāra of Magadha heard that the Buddha, the Blessed One, was traveling through the country of Magadha, had arrived at Rājagṛha, and was staying in Kalandakanivāpa Bamboo Grove near Rājagṛha, he thought, “Although I have invited the Blessed One many times and the Blessed One has had meals, he has never been offered all the requisites for three months. Now I will offer the Blessed One all the requisites for three months, and I will also send Jīvaka, the chief physician.”
The king went to the Blessed One displaying royal treasures and great royal power. When the king arrived, he bowed down until his forehead touched the feet of the Blessed One, and then he sat down to one side. When he had sat down to one side, the Blessed One, through talk consistent with the Dharma, instructed, inspired, encouraged, and delighted King Śreṇya Bimbisāra of Magadha.
6.26
After he had instructed, inspired, encouraged, and delighted the king in a variety of ways through talk consistent with the Dharma, the Blessed One remained silent. Then King Śreṇya Bimbisāra of Magadha rose from his seat, draped his upper robe over one shoulder, knelt on his right knee, made the gesture of supplication to the Blessed One, and said, “May the Blessed One together with the community of monks assent to my offer of the requisites, namely, robes, almsfood, bedding and seats, and medicines for the sick, along with Jīvaka, the chief physician, for three months.”
The Blessed One assented to King Śreṇya Bimbisāra of Magadha by remaining silent. King Śreṇya Bimbisāra of Magadha, knowing that the Blessed One had assented by remaining silent, rose from his seat, bowed down until his forehead touched the Blessed One’s feet, and departed. The Blessed One together with the community of monks was provided by King Śreṇya Bimbisāra of Magadha with all the requisites, namely, robes, almsfood, bedding and seats, and medicines for the sick, along with Jīvaka, the chief physician, for three months.
When King Prasenajit of Kosala heard that the Blessed One together with the community of disciples had been provided by King Śreṇya Bimbisāra of Magadha with all the requisites, along with Jīvaka, the chief physician, for three months, he thought, “He is an anointed kṣatriya king, and I am also an anointed kṣatriya king. His chief physician is Jīvaka, and my chief physician is Ātreya.⁴⁵
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So, I will offer the Blessed One together with the community of disciples all the requisites, along with Ātreya, the chief physician, when the Blessed One comes to Śrāvastī.”
The Blessed One stayed at Rājagṛha during the rainy season. When the three months of the rainy season had passed, he finished mending his robes, took his bowl and his robe, and traveled through the country toward Śrāvastī, surrounded by a group of monks and followed by the community of monks. In due course, the Blessed One, traveling through the country, arrived in Śrāvastī and stayed in Śrāvastī, in the Jetavana, Anāthapiṇḍada’s Park.
When King Prasenajit of Kosala heard that the Blessed One, traveling through the country of Kosala, had arrived in Śrāvastī and was staying in Śrāvastī, in the Jetavana, Anāthapiṇḍada’s Park, he left Śrāvastī and went to the Blessed One. When the king arrived, he bowed down until his forehead touched the feet of the Blessed One, and then he sat down to one side. When he had sat down to one side, the Blessed One, through talk consistent with the Dharma, instructed, inspired, encouraged, and delighted King Prasenajit of Kosala. After he had instructed, inspired, encouraged, and delighted him in a variety of ways through talk consistent with the Dharma, the Blessed One remained silent. Then King Prasenajit of Kosala rose from his seat, draped his upper robe over one shoulder, knelt on his right knee, made the gesture of supplication to the Blessed One, and said,
6.28
“May the Blessed One together with the community of monks assent to my offer of the requisites, namely, robes, almsfood, bedding and seats, and medicines for the sick, along with Ātreya, the chief physician, for three months.”
The Blessed One assented to King Prasenajit of Kosala by remaining silent. King Prasenajit of Kosala, knowing that the Blessed One had assented by remaining silent, rose from his seat, bowed down until his forehead touched the Blessed One’s feet, and departed. The Blessed One together with the community of monks was provided by King Prasenajit of Kosala with all the requisites, along with Ātreya, the chief physician, for three months.
King Prasenajit of Kosala always rose at dawn, bowed down until his forehead touched the feet of the Blessed One, and visited the sick monks.
At that time, a monk had hemorrhoids and turned pale, became emaciated, lost his strength, and was weakened. King Prasenajit of Kosala saw him and asked, “Noble one, why have you turned pale, become emaciated, lost your strength, and been weakened?”
“Your Majesty, I have hemorrhoids,” answered the monk.
The king then ordered Ātreya, the chief physician, “Treat this monk.”
“Certainly, Your Majesty,” Ātreya replied.
Because Ātreya was impious, he did not treat the monk. Later, the king saw the monk again and asked him, “Noble one, were you not treated by Ātreya?”
“I was not, Your Majesty,” answered the monk.
Then the king became enraged. He summoned Ātreya by messenger and warned, “If you treat this monk, all will be fine. But if you do not, I will curtail your allotment.”
Ātreya, who was naturally impious, himself became very angry and thought,
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“His Majesty will curtail my allotment because of this shaven-headed śramaṇa.” Ātreya tied the monk up at the gate of the Jetavana and began surgery. The monk, growing afraid, fearful, and hurt, and experiencing acute, intolerable, and unpleasant pain, wondered to himself, “Does the Blessed One not observe me afraid, fearful, and hurt?”
There is nothing, even in the slightest, that the buddhas, the blessed ones, do not know, see, comprehend, or understand. When the Blessed One, spurred by great compassion, went there, Ātreya, the chief physician, saw the Blessed One arrive. Upon seeing him, Ātreya, fiercely angry, called out to the Blessed One, “Come here, śramaṇa, son of a slave woman—look at your disciple’s anus cut open!”
Then the Blessed One left, returned to the monastery, and sat on the seat prepared for him. When he had sat down, the Blessed One smiled.⁴⁶
It naturally occurs that whenever the buddhas, the blessed ones, smile, rays of blue, yellow, red, and white light emanate from their mouths. Some of the rays stream downward and some stream upward.
Those rays that stream downward go to the hells of Reviving, Black Cord, Being Crushed, Scream, Great Scream, Heat, Intense Heat, Incessant, Blisters, Burst Blisters, Aṭaṭa, Hahava, Huhuva, Water Lily, Lotus, and Great Lotus. They alight on and cool those in the hot hells and alight on and warm those in the cold hells.
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Linked texts (1)
- འདུལ་བ་གཞི — Classical Tibetan