The chapter on medicines (PLI-TV-KD6)

25. The account of the one who had gone forth when old

When the Buddha had stayed at Kusinārā for as long as he liked, he set out wandering toward Ātumā with a large sangha of twelve-hundred and fifty monks.

At that time at Ātumā there was a monk who was previously a barber and who had gone forth when old.

He had two boys, sweet-voiced and articulate, who were skilled barbers.⁸⁰

The monk who had gone forth when old heard that the Buddha was coming to Ātumā,

and he said to those boys,

“The Buddha is coming to Ātumā with a large sangha of twelve-hundred and fifty monks.

Now go and get the barber equipment, and then go from house to house with a box and collect salt, oil, rice, and fresh food. When the Buddha has arrived, we’ll make a congee drink.”

Saying, “Yes,” they did just that.

When people saw those sweet-voiced and articulate boys, they used their services even if they did not really want to. And they gave much in return.

Soon the boys had collected a large amount of salt, oil, rice, and fresh food.

When the Buddha eventually arrived at Ātumā,

he stayed in a dwelling made of husk.⁸¹

The following morning that monk who had gone forth when old had much congee prepared and brought it to the Buddha,

saying, “Sir, please accept the congee.”

When Buddhas know what is going on, sometimes they ask and sometimes not. They know the right time to ask and when not to ask. Buddhas ask when it is beneficial, otherwise they do not, for Buddhas are incapable of doing what is unbeneficial. Buddhas question the monks for two reasons:

to give a teaching or to lay down a training rule.

The Buddha then said to him,

“Where does this congee come from?”

He told him,

and the Buddha rebuked him,

“It’s not suitable, foolish man, it’s not proper, it’s not worthy of a monastic, it’s not allowable, it’s not to be done.

How can you who have gone forth encourage others in what’s unallowable?

This will affect people’s confidence …”

After rebuking him, he gave a teaching and addressed the monks:

“You shouldn’t encourage others to do what’s unallowable. If you do, you commit an offense of wrong conduct.

And if you were previously a barber, you shouldn’t carry barber equipment around.

If you do, you commit an offense of wrong conduct.”

When the Buddha had stayed at Ātumā for as long as he liked, he set out wandering toward Sāvatthī.

When he eventually arrived,

he stayed in the Jeta Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s Monastery.

At that time in Sāvatthī there was much fruit.⁸²

The monks thought,

“Which fruits has the Buddha allowed and which not?”

They told the Buddha.

“I allow all fruits.”

On one occasion seeds belonging to the Sangha had been planted on land belonging to an individual and seeds belonging to an individual on land belonging to the Sangha.

“If seeds belonging to the Sangha have been planted on land belonging to an individual, that person should be given a share, and the produce may then be eaten.⁸³

If seeds belonging to an individual have been planted on land belonging to the Sangha, the Sangha should be given a share, and the produce may then be eaten.”

26. Discussion of the four great standards

At that time the monks were anxious about all sorts of matters, thinking,

“What has the Buddha allowed and what hasn’t he allowed?”

They told the Buddha.

“If I haven’t specifically prohibited something, then it’s unallowable to you if it’s similar to what’s unallowable and opposed to what’s allowable.

If I haven’t specifically prohibited something, then it’s allowable to you if it’s similar to what’s allowable and opposed to what’s unallowable.

If I haven’t specifically allowed something, then it’s unallowable to you if it’s similar to what’s unallowable and opposed to what’s allowable.

If I haven’t specifically allowed something, then it’s allowable to you if it’s similar to what’s allowable and opposed to what’s unallowable.”

Then the monks thought,

“Are post-midday tonics mixed with ordinary food allowable or unallowable?

Are seven-day tonics mixed with ordinary food allowable or unallowable?

Are lifetime tonics mixed with ordinary food allowable or unallowable?

Are seven-day tonics mixed with post-midday tonics allowable or unallowable?

Are lifetime tonics mixed with post-midday tonics allowable or unallowable?

Are lifetime tonics mixed with seven-day tonics allowable or unallowable?”

They told the Buddha.

“When mixed with ordinary food, post-midday tonics are allowable before midday on the day they are received, but not after midday.

When mixed with ordinary food, seven-day tonics are allowable before midday on the day they are received, but not after midday.

When mixed with ordinary food, lifetime tonics are allowable before midday on the day they are received, but not after midday.

When mixed with post-midday tonics, seven-day tonics are allowable after midday on the day they are received, but not beyond dawn.⁸⁴

When mixed with post-midday tonics, lifetime tonics are allowable after midday on the day they are received, but not beyond dawn.

When mixed with seven-day tonics, lifetime tonics are allowable for seven days, but not beyond.”

The sixth chapter on medicines is finished.

This is the summary:

“In autumn, also after midday,

Fat, about root, and with flours;

With bitter, leaf, fruit,

Gum, salt, and detergent.

Powder, sieve, and meat,

Ointment, scented;

Ointment box, luxurious, uncovered,

Ointment stick, ointment stick case.

Bag, shoulder strap, string,

Head oil, and nose;

Nose dropper, and smoke,

And tube, lid, bag.

In a concoction of oil, and alcohol,

Too much, external use;

Vessel, sweat, and herbs,

Heavy, and so hemp water.

Bathtub, and blood,

Horn, salve for the feet;

Foot salve, knife, and bitter,

Sesame paste, flour paste.

Cloth, and mustard powder,

Smoke, and with a razor;

Sore oil, bandage,

And foul, receiving.

Feces, excreting, and mixture,

Lye, chebulic myrobalan in urine;

Scented, and purgative,

Clear congee, mung-bean broth, oily mung-bean broth.

Meat broth, hillside,

Monastery, and with seven days;

Sugar, mung beans, and purgative,

Cooking oneself, reheating.

He allowed again, when short of food,

And fruit, sesame, fresh food;

Before eating, fever,

And removed, hemorrhoids.

And enema, and Suppi,

And human flesh;

Elephant, horse, and dog,

Snake, lion, leopard.

Bear, and hyena flesh,

And turn, and congee;

Recent, apart from, sugar,

Sunidha, guesthouse.

Ganges, Koṭi, speaking the truths,

And Ambapālī, Licchavī;

Killed for, plenty of food,

He prohibited again.

Storm, Yasa, and Meṇḍaka,

Product of a cow, and with provisions;

Keṇi, mango, rose apple, bananas with seeds,

Seedless bananas, licorice, grapes, lotus tubers.

Falsa fruit, potherbs, flour,

At Ātuma, barber;

At Sāvatthī, fruit, seed,

And about all sorts of matters, in the time period.”

In this chapter there are one hundred and six topics.

The chapter on medicines is finished.