The Chapter on Medicines
Chapter Two

The Buddha, the Blessed One, was once traveling through the country of Kāśi and arrived in Vārāṇasī. He stayed in the Deer Park at Ṛṣivadana near Vārāṇasī.

A householder named Mahāsena was living in Vārāṇasī. He was rich and had great wealth and many possessions. His wife’s name was Mahāsenā. Both he and his wife were pious and good and had virtuous dispositions. Mahāsena heard that the Buddha, the Blessed One, had arrived in Vārāṇasī, having traveled through the country of Kāśi, and that he was staying in the Deer Park at Ṛṣivadana near Vārāṇasī. When Mahāsena heard that, he thought, “Although the Blessed One has been invited to my house many times and has had meals, he has never been offered all the requisites. Now I will offer the Blessed One all the requisites for three months.” [F.284.b]

He went to the Blessed One, and when he arrived, he bowed down until his forehead touched the feet of the Blessed One, and then he sat down to one side.39 When he had sat down to one side, the Blessed One, through talk consistent with the Dharma, instructed, inspired, encouraged, and delighted the householder Mahāsena. After he had instructed, inspired, encouraged, and delighted him in a variety of ways through talk consistent with the Dharma, the Blessed One remained silent. Then the householder Mahāsena praised and rejoiced in the words of the Blessed One. He rose from his seat, draped his upper robe over one shoulder, made the gesture of supplication to the Blessed One, and said to him, “May the Blessed One together with the community of monks assent to my offer of the requisites for three months: namely, robes, almsfood, bedding and seats, and medicines for the sick.”

The Blessed One assented to the householder Mahāsena by remaining silent. The householder Mahāsena again praised and rejoiced in the words of the Blessed One. He bowed down until his forehead touched the Blessed One’s feet, then rose from his seat and departed.

The Blessed One together with the community of monks was then provided by the householder Mahāsena with the requisites, namely, robes, almsfood, bedding and seats, and medicines for the sick, for three months. The householder Mahāsena always rose at dawn, bowed down until his forehead touched the Blessed One’s feet, and visited the monks. There was a monk who was ill, seriously ill, afflicted with a painful illness. [F.285.a] The physician told him, “Drink meat broth.” At that time, the householder Mahāsena went to that monk. When Mahāsena arrived, he bowed down until his forehead touched the feet of the monk, and he asked, “Noble one, what did the physician prescribe for you?”

“The physician said to drink meat broth,” replied the sick monk.

Then the householder Mahāsena went to his own house and said to his wife, “Since the physician told Master So-and-so to drink meat broth, prepare it and give it to him.”

The householder Mahāsena’s wife handed money to a girl and sent her to the market. However, the king’s son was born on that day, and the following prohibition was proclaimed with the ringing of bells: “Nobody may kill beings. Whoever kills any living being will be severely punished.” Therefore, the girl could not get meat in the market even with the money.

When the girl reported this matter in detail to the householder Mahāsena, the householder Mahāsena’s wife thought, “Since we have offered the community of monks headed by the Buddha all the requisites, it would not be good if a monk dies because of a lack of medicine.” She took a sharp knife, entered the house, cut off some flesh from her thigh, handed it to the girl, and said, “Girl, make broth from this flesh and take it to the noble one So-and-so.”

The girl took the broth to him, and the monk consumed the broth and recovered his health. [B23] The monk knew that the householder’s wife had served him with her own flesh in that way and thought, “It is not appropriate for me to be lying down after consuming what was given with faith. Now I will exert myself in order to attain what I have not attained, realize what I have not realized, and actualize what I have not actualized.” He then became diligent. Exerting himself, endeavoring and striving, he came to understand saṃsāra’s ever-revolving40 five cycles; [F.285.b] overthrew all conditioned states by nature subject to degradation, decline, dispersal, and destruction; abandoned all defilements; realized the state of an arhat; and became an arhat. He was free from desire for the three realms‍—one for whom a lump of dirt was equal to gold, for whom space was equal to the palm of his hand, who accepted being cut by an adze and being anointed with sandal paste as the same, and whose knowledge had shattered the eggshell of ignorance. He attained knowledge, supernormal knowledge, and discerning wisdom; he turned his back on worldly profit, desires, and honors; and he became an object of veneration, respect, and praise for the gods including Indra and Upendra.

There is nothing, even in the slightest, that the buddhas, the blessed ones, do not know, see, comprehend, or understand. Early the next morning, the Blessed One dressed, took his bowl and his robe, and, surrounded by a group of monks, went to the house of the householder Mahāsena, followed by the community of monks. When the Blessed One arrived, he sat on the seat prepared for him in front of the community of monks. When he had sat down, the Blessed One said to the householder Mahāsena, “Householder, the householder’s wife Mahāsenā is nowhere to be seen. Where is she?”

“Blessed One, she is in the innermost apartment because she cannot move.”

The majesty of the buddhas, the blessed ones, is inconceivable. The Blessed One exercised his magical power so that her wound healed and her own color, skin, and hair returned. Faith then having arisen in the householder Mahāsena’s wife, she appeared at the door and touched the Blessed One’s feet. [F.286.a] The Blessed One asked, “Why has this householder’s wife experienced the power of a bodhisattva?”

She spoke this verse in reply:

The householder Mahāsena then knew that the community of monks headed by the Buddha had sat down in comfort, and with his own hands he served and satisfied them with a pure and fine meal. When, with his own hands, he had served and satisfied them in a variety of ways with a pure and fine meal, and knowing that the Blessed One had finished his meal and washed his hands and his bowl, the householder took a low seat and sat before the Blessed One in order to hear the Dharma. Then the Blessed One, through talk consistent with the Dharma, instructed, inspired, encouraged, and delighted the householder Mahāsena. After having instructed, inspired, encouraged, and delighted the householder Mahāsena in a variety of ways through talk consistent with the Dharma, the Blessed One rose from his seat and departed.

Then the Blessed One went to the monastery and sat on the seat prepared for him in front of the community of monks. When he had sat down, the Blessed One said to the monks, “Monks, human flesh is the worst of all kinds of flesh. Therefore, monks should not eat human flesh. If a monk eats human flesh, he becomes guilty of a sthūlātyaya offense. I will now establish rules of customary behavior for an elder monk of the community. [F.286.b] If flesh is offered, an elder monk of the community should ask, ‘What flesh is this?’ If the elder monk of the community cannot, the second elder monk should ask. If the elder monk of the community does not act in accordance with the established rules of customary behavior, he becomes guilty of an offense.”

All of the monks, feeling doubtful, inquired of the Buddha, the Blessed One, the one who severs all doubts, “How is it, O Honored One, that the householder Mahāsena’s wife served this monk with her own flesh, and, in dependence upon Mahāsenā, this monk abandoned all the defilements and actualized the state of an arhat?”

“Listen well, monks,” the Blessed One replied, “and bear in mind how, not only in the present but also in the past, she served this monk with her own flesh, and how this monk actualized the five kinds of supernormal knowledge. I will tell you about it.

“A long time ago, monks, there was a householder named Mahāsena who lived in Vārāṇasī, and his wife’s name was Mahāsenā. At that time, a brahmin schoolteacher was teaching brahmanical mantras to five hundred sons of brahmins. Faith in the brahmin having arisen in the householder Mahāsena, he offered all the requisites to him and his attendants. The householder Mahāsena honored the brahmin and his attendants.

“The householder always used to rise at dawn and look after the sick. A young brahmin then became seriously ill, afflicted with a painful illness. The physician told him, ‘Drink meat broth.’ Then the householder Mahāsena went to the young brahmin. When he arrived, he bowed and asked, ‘Young brahmin, what did the physician prescribe for you?’

“ ‘The physician told me to drink meat broth,’ the young brahmin replied.

“Then the householder Mahāsena [F.287.a] went to his own house and said to his wife, ‘Since the physician told the young brahmin So-and-so to drink meat broth, prepare it and give it to him.’

“The householder Mahāsena’s wife handed money to a girl and sent her to the market. However, the king’s son was born on that day, and the following prohibition was proclaimed with the ringing of bells: ‘Nobody may kill beings. Whoever kills any being will be severely punished.’ Therefore, the girl could not get meat in the market even with the money.

“When the girl reported this matter in detail to the householder Mahāsena’s wife, the householder Mahāsena’s wife thought, ‘Since we have offered this brahmin and his attendants all the requisites, it would not be good if a young brahmin dies because of a lack of medicine.’ She took a sharp knife, entered the house, cut off some flesh from her thigh, handed it to the girl, and said, ‘Girl, make broth from this flesh and take it to the young brahmin So-and-so.’

“The girl took it to him and the young brahmin consumed it and recovered his health. The young brahmin knew that the householder’s wife had served him with her own flesh in that way and thought, ‘It is not appropriate for me to be lying down after consuming what was given with faith. Now I will endeavor to attain what I have not attained, realize what I have not realized, and actualize what I have not actualized.’ He then went to a quiet place and actualized the five kinds of supernormal knowledge.

“What do you think, monks? The one who was the householder Mahāsena’s wife at that time, on that occasion, was indeed this householder Mahāsena’s wife. The one who was the young brahmin at that time, on that occasion, was indeed this monk. She then served this monk with her own flesh and he, in dependence upon her, actualized the five kinds of supernormal knowledge. [F.287.b] Now, too, she served this monk with her own flesh, and this monk, in dependence upon her, abandoned all defilements and actualized the state of an arhat.

“Therefore, monks, the maturation of entirely negative actions is entirely negative; the maturation of entirely positive actions is entirely positive; the maturation of those that are mixed is mixed. Therefore, monks, henceforth you should abandon entirely negative and mixed actions, and you should seek entirely positive actions. Monks, that is how you must train.”

The Blessed One was once traveling through the country of Magadha and arrived at Rājagṛha. He stayed in Kalandaka­nivāpa44 Bamboo Grove near Rājagṛha.

When King Śreṇya Bimbisāra of Magadha heard that the Buddha, the Blessed One, was traveling through the country of Magadha, had arrived at Rājagṛha, and was staying in Kalandaka­nivāpa Bamboo Grove near Rājagṛha, he thought, “Although I have invited the Blessed One many times and the Blessed One has had meals, he has never been offered all the requisites for three months. Now I will offer the Blessed One all the requisites for three months, and I will also send Jīvaka, the chief physician.”

The king went to the Blessed One displaying royal treasures and great royal power. When the king arrived, he bowed down until his forehead touched the feet of the Blessed One, and then he sat down to one side. When he had sat down to one side, the Blessed One, through talk consistent with the Dharma, instructed, inspired, encouraged, and delighted King Śreṇya Bimbisāra of Magadha. [F.290.a] After he had instructed, inspired, encouraged, and delighted the king in a variety of ways through talk consistent with the Dharma, the Blessed One remained silent. Then King Śreṇya Bimbisāra of Magadha rose from his seat, draped his upper robe over one shoulder, knelt on his right knee, made the gesture of supplication to the Blessed One, and said, “May the Blessed One together with the community of monks assent to my offer of the requisites, namely, robes, almsfood, bedding and seats, and medicines for the sick, along with Jīvaka, the chief physician, for three months.”

The Blessed One assented to King Śreṇya Bimbisāra of Magadha by remaining silent. King Śreṇya Bimbisāra of Magadha, knowing that the Blessed One had assented by remaining silent, rose from his seat, bowed down until his forehead touched the Blessed One’s feet, and departed. The Blessed One together with the community of monks was provided by King Śreṇya Bimbisāra of Magadha with all the requisites, namely, robes, almsfood, bedding and seats, and medicines for the sick, along with Jīvaka, the chief physician, for three months.

When King Prasenajit of Kosala heard that the Blessed One together with the community of disciples had been provided by King Śreṇya Bimbisāra of Magadha with all the requisites, along with Jīvaka, the chief physician, for three months, he thought, “He is an anointed kṣatriya king, and I am also an anointed kṣatriya king. His chief physician is Jīvaka, and my chief physician is Ātreya.45 [F.290.b] So, I will offer the Blessed One together with the community of disciples all the requisites, along with Ātreya, the chief physician, when the Blessed One comes to Śrāvastī.”

The Blessed One stayed at Rājagṛha during the rainy season. When the three months of the rainy season had passed, he finished mending his robes, took his bowl and his robe, and traveled through the country toward Śrāvastī, surrounded by a group of monks and followed by the community of monks. In due course, the Blessed One, traveling through the country, arrived in Śrāvastī and stayed in Śrāvastī, in the Jetavana, Anāthapiṇḍada’s Park.

When King Prasenajit of Kosala heard that the Blessed One, traveling through the country of Kosala, had arrived in Śrāvastī and was staying in Śrāvastī, in the Jetavana, Anāthapiṇḍada’s Park, he left Śrāvastī and went to the Blessed One. When the king arrived, he bowed down until his forehead touched the feet of the Blessed One, and then he sat down to one side. When he had sat down to one side, the Blessed One, through talk consistent with the Dharma, instructed, inspired, encouraged, and delighted King Prasenajit of Kosala. After he had instructed, inspired, encouraged, and delighted him in a variety of ways through talk consistent with the Dharma, the Blessed One remained silent. Then King Prasenajit of Kosala rose from his seat, draped his upper robe over one shoulder, knelt on his right knee, made the gesture of supplication to the Blessed One, and said, [F.291.a] “May the Blessed One together with the community of monks assent to my offer of the requisites, namely, robes, almsfood, bedding and seats, and medicines for the sick, along with Ātreya, the chief physician, for three months.”

The Blessed One assented to King Prasenajit of Kosala by remaining silent. King Prasenajit of Kosala, knowing that the Blessed One had assented by remaining silent, rose from his seat, bowed down until his forehead touched the Blessed One’s feet, and departed. The Blessed One together with the community of monks was provided by King Prasenajit of Kosala with all the requisites, along with Ātreya, the chief physician, for three months.

King Prasenajit of Kosala always rose at dawn, bowed down until his forehead touched the feet of the Blessed One, and visited the sick monks.

At that time, a monk had hemorrhoids and turned pale, became emaciated, lost his strength, and was weakened. King Prasenajit of Kosala saw him and asked, “Noble one, why have you turned pale, become emaciated, lost your strength, and been weakened?”

“Your Majesty, I have hemorrhoids,” answered the monk.

The king then ordered Ātreya, the chief physician, “Treat this monk.”

“Certainly, Your Majesty,” Ātreya replied.

Because Ātreya was impious, he did not treat the monk. Later, the king saw the monk again and asked him, “Noble one, were you not treated by Ātreya?”

“I was not, Your Majesty,” answered the monk.

Then the king became enraged. He summoned Ātreya by messenger and warned, “If you treat this monk, all will be fine. But if you do not, I will curtail your allotment.”

Ātreya, who was naturally impious, himself became very angry and thought, [F.291.b] “His Majesty will curtail my allotment because of this shaven-headed śramaṇa.” Ātreya tied the monk up at the gate of the Jetavana and began surgery. The monk, growing afraid, fearful, and hurt, and experiencing acute, intolerable, and unpleasant pain, wondered to himself, “Does the Blessed One not observe me afraid, fearful, and hurt?”

There is nothing, even in the slightest, that the buddhas, the blessed ones, do not know, see, comprehend, or understand. When the Blessed One, spurred by great compassion, went there, Ātreya, the chief physician, saw the Blessed One arrive. Upon seeing him, Ātreya, fiercely angry, called out to the Blessed One, “Come here, śramaṇa, son of a slave woman‍—look at your disciple’s anus cut open!”

Then the Blessed One left, returned to the monastery, and sat on the seat prepared for him. When he had sat down, the Blessed One smiled.46

It naturally occurs that whenever the buddhas, the blessed ones, smile, rays of blue, yellow, red, and white light emanate from their mouths. Some of the rays stream downward and some stream upward.

Those rays that stream downward go to the hells of Reviving, Black Cord, Being Crushed, Scream, Great Scream, Heat, Intense Heat, Incessant, Blisters, Burst Blisters, Aṭaṭa, Hahava, Huhuva, Water Lily, Lotus, and Great Lotus. They alight on and cool those in the hot hells and alight on and warm those in the cold hells. [F.292.a] Thus, each of the various pains of those beings in hell ceases. When those beings think, “Sirs, have we died here and been reborn elsewhere?” the blessed ones send an emanation to engender their faith. Seeing it, they think, “Sirs, we have not died here and been reborn elsewhere. Each of our various pains ceased on account of the power of this being we have never seen before.” Their minds filled with faith in the emanation, they exhaust the karma that led them to experience the hells and are reborn among gods and humans as vessels for seeing the truths.

Those rays that stream upward go to the gods attendant on the Four Great Kings, the Thirty-Three Gods, the gods of Yāma, Tuṣita, Nirmāṇarati, and Para­nirmita­vaśa­vartin, the gods attendant on Brahmā, and the gods of Brahma­purohita, Mahābrahman, Parīttābha, Apramāṇābha, Ābhāsvara, Parīttaśubha, Apramāṇaśubha, Śubhakṛtsna, Anabhraka, Puṇyaprasava, Bṛhatphala, Abṛha, Atapa, Sudṛśa, Sudarśana, and Akaniṣṭha. They resonate with the words “impermanent,” “subject to suffering,” “empty,” and “selfless,” and they proclaim these two verses:

Then the rays of light, [F.292.b] after unfurling through the worlds of the great billionfold universe, later return to the Blessed One. The rays disappear into the space behind the Blessed One when the Blessed One intends to explain actions of the past. They disappear into the space in front of the Blessed One when the Blessed One intends to explain the future. They disappear into the soles of his feet when the Blessed One intends to explain rebirth in the hells. They disappear into his heels when the Blessed One intends to explain rebirth as an animal. They disappear into his big toe when the Blessed One intends to explain rebirth as a hungry ghost. They disappear into his knees when the Blessed One intends to explain rebirth as a human. They disappear into his left palm when the Blessed One intends to explain rebirth as a wheel-turning king of power.48 They disappear into his right palm when the Blessed One intends to explain rebirth as a wheel-turning king. They disappear into his navel when the Blessed One intends to explain rebirth as a god. They disappear into his mouth when the Blessed One intends to explain the awakening of a disciple. They disappear into the circle of hair between his eyebrows when the Blessed One intends to explain the awakening of a self-awakened one. They disappear into the crown of his head when the Blessed One intends to explain complete and perfect awakening.

The rays of light then circled the Blessed One three times and disappeared into the soles of his feet.49 The venerable Ānanda made the gesture of supplication to the Blessed One and said:

And Ānanda then spoke these verses:

“Ānanda,” said the Blessed One, “that is exactly it! Tathāgatas, arhats, perfectly awakened ones do not smile without cause or condition. Ānanda, Ātreya, the chief physician, is degenerate and will meet an untimely end. He said ‘son of a slave woman’ to the Tathāgata, who has had no fault in his conduct since he assumed Mahāsammata’s lineage. In seven days Ātreya will die, vomiting blood. With the destruction of his body, he will be reborn among the hell beings. Therefore, monks, you should not treat Ātreya or others like Ātreya with respect. You should not surgically remove hemorrhoids. Treatment for hemorrhoids should be done in two ways: mantras50 and medicines. If a monk surgically removes hemorrhoids or treats Ātreya or others like Ātreya with respect, the monk becomes guilty of an offense.”

The monk died from the particular harm done by Ātreya. The ministers reported to King Prasenajit, “Your Majesty, Ātreya said ‘son of a slave woman’ to the Blessed One and that monk died of the particular harm done by Ātreya.”

The king was then very much enraged and shouted to his ministers, “Sirs, I have renounced Ātreya, the chief physician. [F.293.b] Go!”51

“Your Majesty,” said the ministers, “why would you want to kill he who is already dead? The Blessed One predicted, ‘In seven days he will die, vomiting blood. With the destruction of his body, he will be reborn among the hell beings.’ ”

“Then banish him from my country,” ordered the king.

The ministers banished Ātreya and he went to a country called Sāketā. The gods living in Sāketā greatly reviled him: “You stupid man, why should you who has said ‘son of a slave woman’ to the protector of the three realms stay here?” And so they expelled Ātreya. Then he went to Vārāṇasī. Then, having been expelled from there, he went to Vaiśālī. Then, having been expelled from there, he went to Campā. Then, having been expelled from there, he went to Rājagṛha. Then, having been expelled from there, he dwelt under a tree. Then, having been expelled from there by the gods living in the tree, Ātreya went to the shores of a river, a lake, and a pond. Even there he could not find an opportunity to stay and thought, “Although even foxes find opportunities to stay on this continent of Jambu, I have nowhere to stay even under a tree, at a lake, or at a pond.” Then, the fierce agony arose for him in which one dies vomiting blood. As soon as he died, he was reborn in the great hell of Incessant.

Then the Blessed One spoke these verses about that incident:

The Buddha, the Blessed One, was once traveling through the country of Kāśi and stayed overnight in a town where the boundary had not been fixed. There the Blessed One caught a wind illness. The venerable Ānanda thought, “Although I have attended to the Blessed One at my own discretion many times, I have never asked a physician for advice. Now I will ask a physician for advice.” He went to a physician and said, “Sir, since the Blessed One has a disease like this, prescribe medicine for him.”

“Noble one,” said the physician, “have him eat the three spices55 boiled with a good amount of ghee,56 and he will recover his health.”

Then the venerable Ānanda himself prepared and cooked the food and offered it to the Blessed One.

The buddhas, the blessed ones, ask though they already know. The Buddha, the Blessed One, asked the venerable Ānanda, “Ānanda, what is this?”

Ānanda said, “Honored One, I thought, ‘Although I have attended to the Blessed One at my own discretion many times, I have never asked a physician for advice. Now I will ask a physician for advice.’ When I consulted a physician, he said, ‘Noble one, have him eat the three spices boiled with a good amount of ghee, and he will recover his health.’ So I myself prepared and cooked it.”

“Ānanda, where did you make it?”

“Within the boundary.”57

“Where did you put it?”58

“Within the boundary.”

“Who cooked it?”

“I did, [F.294.b] within the boundary.”

“Ānanda, what was cooked within the boundary and was left within the boundary should not be eaten. What was cooked within the boundary and was left outside the boundary should not be eaten. What was cooked outside the boundary and was left within the boundary should not be eaten. What was cooked outside the boundary and was left outside the boundary may be eaten. Ānanda, what was cooked by a monk, whether within the boundary or outside the boundary, should not be eaten in any situation.”

The Blessed One concluded, “What was cooked by a monk should not be eaten in any situation.”

A householder living in Śrāvastī went to the Blessed One. When the householder arrived, he bowed down until his forehead touched the feet of the Blessed One, and then he sat down to one side. When he had sat down to one side, the Blessed One, through talk consistent with the Dharma, instructed, inspired, encouraged, and delighted the householder. After he had … delighted him in a variety of ways … the Blessed One remained silent. Then the householder rose from his seat, draped his upper robe over one shoulder, made the gesture of supplication to the Blessed One, and said to him, “May the Blessed One together with the community of monks assent to my offer of a meal at my house tomorrow.” … Then the householder let the Blessed One know the time by messenger: “Honored One, the time has arrived. May the Blessed One know that the meal is ready.”

Early in the morning the community of monks dressed, took their bowls and their robes, and [F.295.a] went to the house of the householder. The Blessed One refrained from going for almsfood.

The buddhas, the blessed ones, refrain from going for almsfood for five reasons. What are the five? Wishing to look after the sick, wishing to look after the living quarters, wishing to go into seclusion, wishing to teach the Dharma to the gods, and wishing to establish a rule of training in the Vinaya for the disciples. In this case, the Blessed One refrained from going for almsfood because he wished to establish a rule of training in the Vinaya for the disciples.

The venerable Ānanda was in charge of receiving almsfood for the Blessed One. He was there given boiled rice, which was not fully cooked, and he thought, “It has not been long since the Blessed One recovered, and this rice is not fully cooked. So, if he has this rice, his illness may return. Although the Blessed One has not authorized cooking such food, it is probable that this situation will lead him to authorize cooking it.” Ānanda took a pitcher, poured water into the boiled rice, and cooked it until it was done. Then he offered the boiled rice to the Blessed One.

The buddhas, the blessed ones, ask though they already know. The Buddha, the Blessed One, asked the venerable Ānanda, “Ānanda, does the entire community have the same boiled rice as this?”

“No, they do not, Honored One. Theirs is not fully cooked.”

“Then where did it come from?”

When Ānanda related to the Blessed One in detail what had happened, the Blessed One said, “Good, good, Ānanda! [F.295.b] You know even what I have not authorized. On account of that, I authorize monks to receive boiled rice that is not fully cooked and to cook and eat it.”

After the Blessed One said “monks may receive boiled rice that is not fully cooked and cook and eat it,” the group of six monks received raw rice59 and began to cook and eat it.

When the monks reported this matter to the Blessed One, the Blessed One said, “You may receive, cook, and eat boiled rice, one third of which is cooked. You may receive and eat vegetables, flowers, fruits, fish, and meat after their color changes. You may receive, boil, and drink liquids such as milk when they have been boiled two or three times. You should not have any regrets about consuming such things. If you consume them in other ways, you become guilty of an offense.”

The Buddha, the Blessed One, was once staying in the Jetavana, in the Park of Anāthapiṇḍada.

At that time a householder named Bhava was living in a city called Sūrpāraka. He was rich and had great wealth and many possessions, with holdings both vast and extensive. He possessed wealth equal to that of Vaiśravaṇa, rivaling that of Vaiśravaṇa. Bhava took a wife from a family of equal rank, and Bhava and his wife played, made love, and enjoyed themselves, and thus the wife conceived a child. After eight or nine months, a boy who was well proportioned, attractive, and pleasant to behold was born. At the birth, the householder held a great celebration for twenty-one days and, to give the baby a name, he asked, “What name shall we give this boy?”

His kinsmen [F.296.a] suggested, “Since this boy is the son of the householder Bhava, let us name him Bhavila.” Thus the boy was named Bhavila.

Then the couple again played, made love, and enjoyed themselves, and another boy was born and named Bhavatrāta.

And then again a boy was born to the householder and was named Bhavanandin.

Later, the householder Bhava caught an illness and spoke very harsh words, and thus his wife and sons abandoned him. He had a servant girl, and she thought, “Although my master won possessions through hundreds of thousands of means, he now has an illness and was abandoned even by his wife and sons. If I61 give up on my master, that would not be appropriate for me.”

She went to a physician and asked, “Master, do you know the householder Bhava?”

“Yes, I do. What happened to him?”

“He has such-and-such kind of illness, and he was abandoned by his wife and sons. Prescribe medicine for him.”

“You said he was abandoned by his wife and sons. Then who attends to him?” asked the physician.

“I attend to him. Please prescribe inexpensive medicine.”

The physician prescribed it, saying, “This is his medicine.”

Then the servant girl, taking some food for Bhava from her own provisions and also taking some from the house, attended to him, and he recovered his health. Bhava thought, “I was abandoned by my wife and sons and I owe my life to this girl. I should do something for her in return.” Bhava said to her, “Girl, I was abandoned by my wife and sons and I owe my life to you. So I will give you whatever you most want. Tell me what you want.”

“Master, [F.296.b] if you are satisfied with me, I would like to have sex with you.”

Bhava said, “What is the use of our having sex? I will give you five hundred kārṣāpaṇas and liberate you from servitude.”

“Master, I am nothing but a slave whether I am far from he