Mahavogga 6.22

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

MAHAVAGGA

SIXTH KHANDHAKA(ON MEDICAMENTS)

Chapter-22.

1. Now when the Lord Buddha had remained at Savatthi as long as he thought fit, he went forth on his journey to Rajagaha. And wandering straight on he arrived at Rajagaha: and there at Rajagaha he stayed at the Veluvana in the Kalandaka-nivapa.

Now at that time a certain Bhikkhu was suffering from fistula. And the physician (named) Akasa-gotta lanced it. And the Lord Buddha when he

was going round through the sleeping-places came to the place where that Bhikkhu dwelt.

2. Akasa-gotta, the physician, saw the Lord Buddha coming from afar; and when he saw him he said to the Lord Buddha: 'Let the venerable Gotama come and look at this Bhikkhu's orifice; it is like the mouth of an iguana!' And the Lord Buddha thinking, 'This foolish fellow is making fun of me,' kept silence and turned away. And in that connection, and on account of that, he called a meeting of the Bhikkhu-sangha, and asked the Bhikkhus: Is there, O Bhikkhus, in that Vihara a Bhikkhu who is sick?'

'There is, Lord.'

'What is the matter, O Bhikkhus, with that Bhikkhu?'

'That venerable one, Lord, has a fistula, and Akasa-gotta, the physician, has been lancing it.'

3. The Great Buddha rebuked (that Bhikkhu), saying, 'This is improper, O Bhikkhus, for that foolish one, unbecoming, indecent, unworthy of Samanas(monks), not allowable, and ought not to be done. How can this foolish fellow, O Bhikkhus, allow a surgical operation to be performed in that part of his body? The skin there, O Bhikkhus, is tender, the wound is difficult to treat, the knife is difficult to guide. This will not redound, O Bhikkhus, to the conversion of the unconverted.'

And having rebuked him, the Lord Buddha, after delivering a dhamma discourse, said to the Bhikkhus: You are not, O Bhikkhus, to allow a surgical operation to be performed upon you in that part

of your bodies. Whosoever allows that, is guilty of a thulakaya(big/grave) offence.'

4. Now at that time the Chabbaggiya Bhikkhus, since a surgical operation had been forbidden by the Lord Buddha, used a clyster.

They told this thing to the Lord Buddha.

'Is it true, as they say, O Bhikkhus, that the Chabbaggiya Bhikkhus use a clyster?'

'It is true, Lord.'

He rebuked them, and having delivered a dhamma discourse, said to the Bhikkhus: 'No surgical operation is to be performed within a distance of two inches round the anus, and a clyster is not to be used. Whosoever does so, is guilty of a thulakaya(big/grave) offence.'