Cullavagga, Khandaka 5, Chapter 34

1. Now at that time the Blessed One when, surrounded by a great assembly, he was preaching the Dhamma, was seated. And a certain Bhikkhu, who had eaten onions, sat down apart, thinking, Let not the Bhikkhus be annoyed^[1]!'

The Blessed One saw that Bhikkhu sitting apart; and on seeing him, he said to the Bhikkhus, 'Why now, O Bhikkhus, is that Bhikkhu seated apart?'

'This Bhikkhu, Lord, has eaten onions, and has seated himself apart in order not to annoy the Bhikkhus.'

'But ought, O Bhikkhus, anything to be eaten, that will cause the eater to keep away from such a preaching of the Dhamma as this?'

'No, indeed, Lord.'

'You are not, O Bhikkhus, to eat onions. Whosoever does so, shall be guilty of a dukkaṭa^[2].'

2. Now at that time the venerable Sāriputta had wind in his stomach. And the venerable Mahā Moggallāna went up to the place where the venerable Sāriputta was, and when he had come there, he said to the venerable Sāriputta:

'How did you formerly, friend Sāriputta, get relief, when you had wind in the stomach?'

'By eating onions, my friend^[3].'

They told this matter to the Blessed One.

'I allow you, O Bhikkhus, to eat onions on account of disease.'

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Vyābāhiṃsu is for vyābādhiṃsu. See p. 320 of the edition of the text.

[2]:

There is a similar rule for the Bhikkhunīs in the Bhikkhunī-vibhaṅga, Pācittiya I. So also onions are mentioned among the things a Jain Bhikkhu may not accept (Ayāraṅga Sutta II, 1, 8, 13).

[3]:

It is gruel of various kinds that is prescribed for this malady in Mahāvagga VI, 16, 3-17, 2.