Drugs yemmended with a view to heal diseases

                                                      Since the Buddha had a great knowledge of physical hygiene and mental hygiene. He introduced different ways to Suffern diseases got by birth. He was considered as a physician. vejjūpamo mahāvīro He was like a medicine agadūpamo mahāvīro a physician bhisakkho , a surgeon sallakatto. He was named with these adjectives.[i] In the treatment of ailments, Buddha used animal fat, leaves of trees, roots, fruits and leaf astringent of baves, resin fish oil, crocodile oil, pork fat, mule fat. These ingredianets are permitted to accept during the forenoon, concoct, sfrained and be consumed as a medicine during the forenoon.

Anujānāmi, bhikkhave, vasāni bhesajjāni – acchavasaṃ, macchavasaṃ, susukāvasaṃ, sūkaravasaṃ, gadrabhavasaṃ kāle paṭiggahitaṃ kāle nippakkaṃ[ii]

Also Buddha had preached seven medicinal flowers to be used as and when required. Those are; Turmeric, Ginger, Vadhakaha, Hela Vadhakaha, Kulurena, Suwandhahola, Vammuthu

 Anujānāmi, bhikkhave, mūlāni bhesajjāni – haliddiṃ, siṅgiveraṃ, vacaṃ, vacatthaṃ ativisaṃ, kaṭukarohiṇiṃ, usīraṃ, bhaddamuttakaṃ[iii]

When there is a requirement, Buddha recommended five medicines. Those are margosa Kelinda, Tricosanthes cucumerina Hangulu Karandha

 Anujānāmi, bhikkhave, kasāvāni bhesajjāni nimbakasāvaṃ, kuṭajakasāvaṃ, paṭolakasāvaṃ, siggavakasāvaṃ, nattamālakasāvaṃ[iv]

The sick monks were permited to use medicinal leaves. Five types of leaves which may be readily avialable in the environment were named. Those were margosa leaves, Kelinda leaves, (Dummella) Tricosanthes cucumerina leaves, thala leaves and kapuk leaves.

 Anujānāmi, bhikkhave, paṇṇāni bhesajjāni nimbapaṇṇaṃ, kuṭajapaṇṇaṃ, paṭolapaṇṇaṃ, sulasipaṇṇaṃ, kappāsapaṇṇaṃ[v]

 In a neccacity Buddha gave permission to the sick monks to consiume seven fruits. Such as Walagasal, Thippili, Pepper, Aralu, Bulu - Beleric Myrobalan, Nelli - Emblica officinalis and gotupala

Anujānāmi, bhikkhave, phalāni bhesajjāni – bilaṅgaṃ, pippaliṃ, maricaṃ, harītakaṃ, vibhītakaṃ, āmalakaṃ, goṭṭhaphalaṃ[vi]

 Six resins which could be used in the preparation of medicine were shown. Those were Perumkayam resin from boiled Hingudhadu resin from the boited hingu leaves resin pouring from run leaf top resin pouring from leaves of trees rosin Anujānāmi, bhikkhave, jatūni bhesajjāni – hiṅguṃ, hiṅgujatuṃ, hiṅgusipāṭikaṃ, takaṃ, takapattiṃ, takapaṇṇiṃ, sajjulasaṃ[vii]

There arose the requirement of salt varieties used in medicine for the sickness stricken bhikkhus. For that five types of salts were preached, sea salt, black salt, salt found in the sindu country, suwasa salt and feline salt Anujānāmi, bhikkhave, loṇāni bhesajjāni  sāmuddaṃ, kāḷaloṇaṃ, sindhavaṃ, ubbhidaṃ bilaṃ[viii]

 At presant it is difficult to find these types of salt, but duzing the past the monks led a very simple life, they used to visit outside to beg for alms and it was not difficult to locate those medicines; the Buddha used to advise the monks to maintain their physiques well and healthy, prescribing various medicines for the priesthood when they fell ill.

   

                           

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[i]  abhinandana sasthiya sagara

[ii] Mahāvaggapāli, (2013), Bhesajjakkhandhaka, Buddha Jayanti Tripitaka Series, p. 524

[iii] Ibid, p.524

[iv] Ibid, p.524

[v] Ibid, p.524

[vi] Ibid, p.526

[vii] Ibid, p.526

[viii] Ibid, p.526