Mahavagga, Khandaka 1, Chapter 39

1. At that time these five diseases prevailed among the people of Magadha:—leprosy, boils, dry leprosy, consumption, and fits. The people who were affected with these five diseases went to Jīvaka Komārabhacca^[1] and said: 'pray, doctor, cure us.'

'I have too many duties', Sirs, and am too occupied. I have to treat the Magadha king Seniya Bimbisāra, and the royal seraglio, and the fraternity of Bhikkhus with the Buddha at their head. I cannot cure you.

“All that we possess shall be yours, doctor, and we will be your slaves; pray, doctor, cure us.”

“I have too many duties, Sirs, &c.; I cannot cure you.”

2. Now those people thought: 'Indeed the precepts which these Sakyaputtiya Samaṇas keep and the life they live are commodious; they have good meals and lie down on beds protected from the wind. What if we were to embrace the religious life among the Sakyaputtiya Samaṇas: then the Bhikkhus will nurse us, and Jīvaka Komārabhacca, will cure us.'

Thus these persons went to the Bhikkhus and asked them for the pabbajjā ordination; the Bhikkhus conferred on them the pabbajjā and upasampadā ordinations; and the Bhikkhus nursed them, and Jīvaka Komārabhacca cured them.

3. At that time the Bhikkhus, who had to nurse many sick Bhikkhus, began to solicit (lay people) with many demands and many requests: 'Give us food for the sick; give us food for the tenders of the sick; give us medicine for the sick.' And also Jīvaka Komārabhacca, who had to treat many sick Bhikkhus, neglected some of his duties to the king.

4. Now one day a man who was affected with the five diseases went to Jīvaka Komārabhacca and said:'Pray, doctor, cure me.'

“I have too many duties, Sir, and am too occupied; I have to treat the Magadha king Seniya Bimbisāra, and the royal seraglio, and the fraternity of Bhikkhus with the Buddha at their head; I cannot cure you.”

“All that I possess shall be yours, doctor, and I will be your slave; pray doctor, cure me.”

'I have too many duties, Sir, &c.; I cannot cure you.

5. Now that man thought: 'Indeed the precepts which these Sakyaputtiya Samaṇas keep (&c., down to:): then the Bhikkhus will nurse me, and Jīvaka Komārabhacca will cure me. When I have become free from sickness, then I will return to the world.'

Thus that man went to the Bhikkhus and asked them for the pabbajjā ordination; the Bhikkhus conferred on him the pabbajjā and upasampadā ordinations; and the Bhikkhus nursed him, and Jīvaka Komārabhacca cured him. When he had become free from sickness, he returned to the world. Now Jīvaka Komārabhacca saw this person that had returned to the world; and when he saw him he asked that person: 'Had you not embraced the religious life, Sir, among the Bhikkhus?'

“Yes, doctor.”

“And why have you adopted such a course, Sir?”

Then that man told Jīvaka Komārabhacca the whole matter .

6. Then Jīvaka Komārabhacca was annoyed, murmured, and became angry: 'How can the venerable brethren confer the pabbajjā ordination on a person affected with the five diseases?'

And Jīvaka Komārabhacca went to the place where the Blessed One was; having approached him and having respectfully saluted the Blessed One, he sat down near him. Sitting near him, Jīvaka Komārabhacca said to the Blessed One: 'Pray, Lord, let their reverences not confer the pabbajjā ordination on persons affected with the five diseases.'

7. Then the Blessed One taught, incited, animated, and gladdened Jīvaka Komārabhacca by religious discourse; and Jīvaka Komārabhacca, having been taught . . . . and gladdened by the Blessed One by religious discourse, rose from his seat, respectfully saluted the Blessed One, and passing round him with his right side towards him, went away.

In consequence of that and on this occasion the Blessed One, after having delivered a religious discourse, thus addressed the Bhikkhus: 'Let no one, O Bhikkhus, who is affected with the five diseases, receive the pabbajjā ordination. He who confers the pabbajjā ordination ( on such a person), is guilty of a dukkaṭa offence.'

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Jīvaka was physician to king Bimbisāra, and one of the chief partisans of Buddha at the court of Rāgugaha. See VIII, 1, the introduction of the Sāmaññaphala Sutta, &c.