Mahavogga 6.23

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Adapted from the Translation by T. W. Rhys Davids and Hermann Oldenberg

MAHAVAGGA

SIXTH KHANDHAKA(ON MEDICAMENTS)

Chapter-23.

1. And the Lord Buddha, after having dwelt at Rajagaha as long as he thought fit, went forth to Benares. Wandering from place to place he came to Benares. There the Lord Buddha dwelt near Benares, in the deer-park Isipatana.

At that time there were at Benares a devout layman Suppiya and a devout laywoman Suppiya who showed their faith in both ways: they were givers and doers, and devoted themselves to the service of the fraternity. And Suppiya, the lay-devotee, went to the Arama(Monastery), and going around from Vihara to Vihara, and from cell to cell, she asked

the Bhikkhus: 'Who is sick, venerable Sirs? For whom, and what shall I procure?'

2. At that time a certain Bhikkhu had taken a purgative. And that Bhikkhu said to Suppiya, the lay-devotee: 'I have taken a purgative, sister, and I want some broth.'

(She replied): 'Well, reverend Sir, it shall be procured for you,'--and went to her house and gave order to a pupil: 'Go, my good sir, and see if there is any meat to be had.'

That man accepted this order of Suppiya, the lay-devotee (by saying), 'Yes, Madam,' and searched through the whole of Benares, but did not find any meat on hand. Then that man went to Suppiya, the lay-devotee; having approached her he said to Suppiya, the lay-devotee: 'There is no meat to be had, Madam; the killing of cattle is interdicted to-day.'

3. Then Suppiya, the lay-devotee, thought: 'If that sick Bhikkhu does not get the broth his sickness will increase, or he will die. It would be unbecoming indeed for me to promise something, and not to procure it;'--(thinking thus) she took a knife, cut a piece of flesh from her thigh, and gave it to her maid-servant (saying), 'Go, my girl,

and get the strength out of this. meat. In such and such a Vihara is a sick Bhikkhu; give it to that (Bhikkhu). And should anybody call for me, tell him that I am sick;'--(speaking thus), she veiled her thigh with her upper garment, went into her inner room, and lay down on her bed.

4. And Suppiya, the lay-devotee, came to his house and asked the maid-servant: 'Where is Suppiya?'

'She lies in the inner room, Sir.' Then Suppiya, the lay-devotee, went to the place where Suppiya, the lay-devotee, was; having approached her he said to Suppiya, the lay-devotee: 'Why are you lying down?'

'I am sick.'

'What is the matter with you?'

Then Suppiya, the lay-devotee, told the whole matter to Suppiya, the lay-devotee. And Suppiya, the lay-devotee, said: 'Oh wonderful! oh astonishing! How believing and how pious is this Suppiya who gives even her own flesh (to the indigent). What else can there be which she would not give?' (Speaking thus), joyful and elated he went to the place where the Lord Buddha. was; having approached him, and respectfully saluted the Lord Buddha, he sat down near him.

5. Sitting near him, Suppiya, the lay-devotee, said to the Lord Buddha: 'Might the Lord Buddha, Lord, consent to take his meal with me to-morrow, together with the fraternity of Bhikkhus.'

The Lord Buddha expressed his consent by remaining silent. Then Suppiya, the lay-devotee, when he understood that the Lord Buddha had accepted his invitation, rose from his seat, respectfully saluted the Lord Buddha, and passing round him with his right side towards him, went away.

And when the night had elapsed, Suppiya, the lay-devotee, ordered excellent food, both hard and soft, to be prepared, and had the meal-time announced to the Lord Buddha in the words: 'It is time, Lord, the meal is ready.' And in the fore-noon the Lord Buddha, having put on his under-robes, took his alms-bowl, and, with his kivara on, went to the house of Suppiya, the lay-devotee. When he had arrived there, he sat down with the Bhikkhus who followed him, on seats laid out for them.

6. And Suppiya, the lay-devotee, went to the place where the Lord Buddha was; having approached him and respectfully saluted the Lord Buddha, he stationed himself near him. When he was standing near him, the. Lord Buddha said to Suppiya, the lay-devotee: 'Where is Suppiya?'

'She is sick, Lord.'

'Well, let her come here.'

'She is not able to do so, Lord.'

'Well then you must take her and carry her (to me).'

Then Suppiya, the lay-devotee, took Suppiya, the lay-devotee, and carried her (to the Buddha). And in the moment the Lord Buddha saw her, that great wound was healed; and there was good skin there, with the tiny hairs on that.

7. And Suppiya, the lay-devotee, and Suppiya, the lay-devotee (thought): 'Oh wonderful! oh astonishing! What high power and great faculties the Tathagata(Buddha) possesses, in that in the moment the Lord Buddha has seen (Suppiya), that great wound has been healed; and there is good skin there.

with the tiny hairs on that;'--(thinking thus) joyful and elated they served and offered with their own hands excellent food, both hard and soft, to the fraternity of Bhikkhus with the Buddha at its head. And when the Lord Buddha had finished his meal, and cleansed his bowl and his hands, they sat down near him. And the Lord Buddha, after having taught, encouraged, animated, and gladdened Suppiya, the lay-devotee, and Suppiya, the lay-devotee, by dhamma discourse, rose from his seat and went away.

8. In consequence of that, and on this occasion, the Lord Buddha, having ordered the fraternity of Bhikkhus to assemble, questioned the Bhikkhus: 'Who was it, O Bhikkhus, who asked Suppiya, the lay-devotee, for meat?'

When he had spoken thus, that Bhikkhu said to the Lord Buddha: 'It is I, Lord, who asked Suppiya, the lay-devotee, for meat.'

'Has it been brought to you, O Bhikkhu?'

'It has been brought, Lord.'

'Have you eaten it, O Bhikkhu?'

'I have eaten it, Lord.'

'And did you enquire, O Bhikkhus, (what) meat it was?'

'Lord! I did not enquire about that.'

9. Then the Great Buddha rebuked him: 'How can you, O foolish one, eat meat without having enquired (what it is)? It is man's flesh, O foolish one, which you have eaten. This will not do, O foolish one, for converting the unconverted,' (&c.)

Having rebuked him and delivered a dhamma discourse, he thus addressed the Bhikkhus: 'There are, O Bhikkhus, believing, pious people who give up even their own flesh. Let no one, O Bhikkhus, eat man's flesh. He who does, commits a thulakaya (or, grave) offence. And let no one, O Bhikkhus, eat meat without having enquired (what it is). He who does, commits a dukkata offence.'

10. At that time the king's elephants died. During a famine the people ate that elephants' flesh, and when the Bhikkhus came and asked for alms, they gave them elephants' flesh. The Bhikkhus ate that elephants' flesh. People were annoyed, murmured, and became angry: 'How can the Sakyaputtiya Samanas(monks) eat elephants' flesh? Elephants are an attribute of royalty. If the king knew that, they would not be in his favour.'

They told this thing to the Lord Buddha.

'Let no one, O Bhikkhus, eat elephants' flesh. He who does, commits a dukkata offence.'

11. At that time the king's horses died. During a famine (&c., as in §-10, down to:)

'Let no one, O Bhikkhus, eat horse-flesh. He who does, commits a dukkata offence.'

12. At that time the people, during a famine, ate dogs' flesh, and when the Bhikkhus came and asked for alms, they gave them dogs' flesh. The Bhikkhus ate that dogs' flesh. People were annoyed, murmured, and became angry: 'How can the Sakyaputtiya Samanas(monks) eat dogs' flesh? Dogs are disgusting and loathsome animals.'

They told this thing to the Lord Buddha.

'Let no one, O Bhikkhus, eat dogs' flesh. He who does, commits a dukkata offence.'

13. At that time the people, during a famine, ate serpents' flesh (&c., as in §-12, down to:) 'How can

the Sakyaputtiya Samanas(monks) eat serpents' flesh? Serpents are disgusting and loathsome animals.'

And the serpent king Supassa went to the place where the Lord Buddha was; having approached him and respectfully saluted the Lord Buddha, he stationed himself near him. Standing near him the serpent king Supassa said to the Lord Buddha: 'There are, Lord, unbelieving serpents who are disinclined (to the faith); these might do harm to the Bhikkhus even on trifling occasions. Pray, Lord, let their reverences not eat serpents' flesh. Then the Lord Buddha taught, encouraged, animated, and gladdened the serpent king Supassa by dhamma discourse (&c., down to:), and passing round him with his right side towards him, went away.'

In consequence of that the Lord Buddha, after having delivered a dhamma discourse, thus addressed the Bhikkhus: 'Let no one, O Bhikkhus, eat serpents' flesh. He who does, commits a dukkata offence.'

14. At that time hunters had killed a lion and eaten his flesh, and when the Bhikkhus came and asked for alms, they gave them lions' flesh. The Bhikkhus, having eaten that lions' flesh, sojourned in the forest. Then the lions, (attracted) by the smell of lions' flesh, fell upon the Bhikkhus.

They told this thing to the Lord Buddha.

'Let no one, O Bhikkhus, eat lions' flesh. He who does, commits a dukkata offence.'

15. At that time hunters had killed a tiger, &c., a panther, &c., a bear, &c., a hyena (&c., as in §-14, down to:)

'Let no one, O Bhikkhus, eat a hyena's flesh. He who does, commits a dukkata offence.'