Illnesses and remedies depicted in the Bhesajjakkhandhaka

               

                                                                          

                                                                                                       Periya Ulukkulame Nandawimala Thero

                                              4^th year special

                                              Buddhist and Pali University

                                              Department of Buddhist Philosophy

                                               nandawimalathero85@gmail.com

Illnesses and remedies depicted in the Bhesajjakkhandhaka are very important facts for the understanding of health theories. The dispensation was enriched by Buddhist monks, Buddhist nuns, male and female devotees. There were lots of problems regarding health care at the period of Buddha. One was the non-availability of female medical centers for the Buddhist nuns when they became sick. The famed medical fractioned, Jivaka who attended to the Buddha when he was sick and he could not attend to the entire clergy for their needs. In such sicknesses Buddhist monks had the practice to inform the Great Teacher who prescribed various treatments to them I such treatments could be evidently found in the Bhesajjakkandhaka for anyone who is interested to investigate.

During the autumn time when the Buddha was staying at Jetavana temple some Buddhist priests were suffering from a sickness pertaining to a bile disorder. The gruel consumed by the monks was not digested and they started to vomit. The handsome the illness they were with emancipated bodies with faded skins with nerves protruded out uglyly, suffering from neuritis ailments.

“Tena kho pana samayena bhikkhūnaṃ sāradikena ābādhena phuṭṭhānaṃ yāgupi pītā uggacchati, bhattampi bhuttaṃ uggacchati. Te tena kisā honti, lūkhā, dubbaṇṇā, uppaṇḍuppaṇḍukajātā, dhamanisanthatagattā”[1]

The Buddha having seen the ailing monks inquired from his attending monk, reverend Ananda who investigated the situation and informed his master the issue, Buddha prescribed five medicinal items ghee, butter, gingerly, honey and cane jiggery.

 ‘‘imāni kho pañca bhesajjāni, seyyathidaṃ – sappi, navanītaṃ, telaṃ, madhu, phāṇitaṃ; bhesajjāni ceva bhesajjasammatāni ca lokassa, āhāratthañca pharanti”[2]

He had preached these medicines to be taken in the right time. The priests when consumed rough food or smooth food had experienced a dislike of food; they became emancipated with faded skins and with neurotic bodies, having seen these sick monks, Buddha inquired from his attendant reverend Ananda thero who in return informed the teacher the situation. Buddha permitted the consumption of the five medicines in the morning and in the evening as well.

The sick monks were informed that it was appertiment to receive bear oil, fish oil and crocodile oil. pig oil and mule oil in the forenoon, to boil those during the forenoon itself to mix with other medicine  goods, mix well, extract and it is appropriate to consume in the forenoon.

“Anujānāmi, bhikkhave, vasāni bhesajjāni – acchavasaṃ, macchavasaṃ, susukāvasaṃ, sūkaravasaṃ, gadrabhavasaṃ – kāle paṭiggahitaṃ kāle nippakkaṃ kāle saṃsaṭṭhaṃ telaparibhogena paribhuñjituṃ”[3]

The monks who were suffering from various illnesses required medicinal roots; they informed the Buddha for their requirement. Buddha prescribed turmeric, ginger, orris, local orris. “athividayan kulurena suwanada hota vammuthu”

These medicines are to be taken with the medicinal roots; these should not be consumed as food but to be taken only when the necessity arisen

“Anujānāmi, bhikkhave, mūlāni bhesajjāni – haliddiṃ, siṅgiveraṃ, vacaṃ, vacatthaṃ, ativisaṃ, kaṭukarohiṇiṃ, usīraṃ, bhaddamuttakaṃ”[4]

When the monks inform the Buddha that the sick monks need flour extracted from medicinal roots, Buddha gave permission to keep the grinding stone and the mortar needed for the preparation.

“Anujānāmi, bhikkhave, nisadaṃ nisadapotakanti”[5]

Lord Buddha was informed the necessary of astringency medicine for the monks who had shown symptoms of illness and became ill Buddha permitted to drink astringency medicine such as margosa astringency, kelinda astringency, trichosanthes cucumerina astringency, hangulu astringency, karandha astringency monks were adviced to consume the medicine when in need

“Anujānāmi, bhikkhave, kasāvāni bhesajjāni – nimbakasāvaṃ, kuṭajakasāvaṃ, paṭolakasāvaṃ, phaggavakasāvaṃ, nattamālakasāvaṃ”[6]

There was a necessity to find medicinal leaves to treat the invalid monks. When Buddha was informed and he recommended margosa leaves, kelidha leaves, trichosanthes cucumerina leaves, kapuk leaves, tala leaves and preached such medicine to be taken as and when a necessity arisen

“Anujānāmi, bhikkhave, paṇṇāni bhesajjāni – nimbapaṇṇaṃ, kuṭajapaṇṇaṃ, paṭolapaṇṇaṃ, sulasipaṇṇaṃ, kappāsapaṇṇaṃ”[7]

At that time the sick monks needed leaves medicine and when this was informed he preached and advised to use pepper, terminalia chedula, terminalia bellirica, embelic myrobalan and centella asiatica such indredients.

“Anujānāmi, bhikkhave, phalāni bhesajjāni – bilaṅgaṃ, pippaliṃ, maricaṃ, harītakaṃ, vibhītakaṃ, āmalakaṃ, goṭṭhaphalaṃ”[8]

For medicine Buddha preached resin medicine for treatment asafetida, resin obtained from boiled asafetida the resins pouring from tree tops, resins made from boiling mature leaves from trees rosin monks were advised to drink this medicine only and when it is necessary

“Anujānāmi, bhikkhave, jatūni bhesajjāni – hiṅguṃ, hiṅgujatuṃ, hiṅgusipāṭikaṃ, takaṃ, takapattiṃ, takapaṇṇiṃ, sajjulasaṃ”[9]

There was a necessity to obtain salt for the medicine for sick bikkhus and this was informed to the Buddha he advised that sea salt, black salt, salt in the sindu colony, feline salt and suwasa salt used.

“Anujānāmi, bhikkhave, loṇāni bhesajjāni – sāmuddaṃ, kāḷaloṇaṃ, sindhavaṃ, ubbhidaṃ, biḷālaṃ”[10]

When Buddha was wandering in the herimitage he saw the monk name Bellatthiseesa thero who was infested and suffering from iching itch and eshema. Buddha adviced he should be given time medicine day and permission was granted to possess the grinding stone and the mortar which is useful to prepare the medicine.

“anujānāmi, bhikkhave, yassa kaṇḍu vā, piḷakā vā, assāvo vā, thullakacchu vā ābādho, kāyo vā duggandho, cuṇṇāni bhesajjāni; agilānassa chakaṇaṃ mattikaṃ rajananippakkaṃ. Anujānāmi, bhikkhave, udukkhalaṃ musala’’nti”[11]

One bhikkhu was taken ill when he was possessed by an evil spirit whatever the treatment was done to him the could not be relieved. One day he went to the pigs slaughtering house ate raw at raw pork. Flesh and drank raw blood after that the illness due to the possession. The evil spirit was relieved the possessed

Evil spirit consumed the raw pork and the raw blood satisfied and left the body causing the monk to relieve from the illness this was informed to the Buddha and the Buddha granted permission to use this treatment of raw pork and raw blood where the sick are suffering from evil spirited illnesses.

“Anujānāmi, bhikkhave, amanussikābādhe āmakamaṃsaṃ āmakalohitanti”[12]

One day when the Buddha was wandering in the hermitage he saw a monk suffering from eye desease. Buddha prescribed a medicine for the illness. Black kohl, rasadun kohl, formed in rivers kohl etc, lohoandun suvandura andun and andun formed in the tamp wick. In addition for that sandal, black agallochum, indian frankincense, plants were recommended.

‘‘anujānāmi, bhikkhave, añjanaṃ – kāḷañjanaṃ, rasañjanaṃ, sotañjanaṃ, gerukaṃ, kapalla’’nti………Anujānāmi, bhikkhave, candanaṃ, tagaraṃ, kāḷānusāriyaṃ, tālīsaṃ, bhaddamuttakanti”[13]

During the time of Buddha; a certain monk was bite by a snake. He was suffering due to the snake venom had spread in his body, the Buddha was informed. Buddha preached that he should be given, human excreta urine, hot ash and clay, the four indredients to be given to the patient.

“Anujānāmi, bhikkhave, cattāri mahāvikaṭāni dātuṃ – gūthaṃ, muttaṃ, chārikaṃ, mattikanti”[14]

One day a certain monk had swallowed poison, this was informed to the Buddha. He advised the monk should be given human excreta to drink.

“Anujānāmi bhikkhave gūthaṃ pāyetunti”[15]

Another monk was suffering from a sickness after drinking a charm medicine Buddha adviced that he should be given to drink mud adhered to the plough mixed with water.

“Anujānāmi, bhikkhave, sītāloḷiṃ pāyetunti”[16]

A certain monk who had a skin ailment was permitted to apply fragrant in his body as a remedy.

“Anujānāmi, bhikkhave, gandhālepaṃ kātunti”[17]

The monks who had suffered owing to non-tolerance of their physical coordination were given a laxative drink. Gruel water without rice, boiled gram water, meat flavours etc. to the limit of tolerance of the disease and the medicine for their particular ailment. This is evidently clear in the bhesajjakkhandaka how the treatment to the sickly monks were given selecting from a range of medicine.

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Endnotes

[1] Mahāvaggapāli, (2013), Bhesajjakkhandhaka, Buddha Jayanti Tripitaka Series, p. 520

[2] Ibid, p.522

[3] Ibid, p.524

[4] Ibid, p.524

[5] Ibid, p.524

[6] Ibid, p.524

[7] Ibid, p.524

[8] Ibid, p.526

[9] Ibid, p.526

[10] Ibid, p.526

[11] Ibid, p.526

[12] Ibid, p.528

[13] Ibid, p.528

[14] Ibid, p.534

[15] Ibid, p.534

[16] Ibid, p.534

[17] Ibid, p.534