On rejection of surgery

^Kd.6.22.1 Then the Lord, having stayed at Sāvatthī for as long as he found suiting, set out on tour for Rājagaha. In due course, walking on tour, he arrived at Rājagaha. And the Lord stayed there at Rājagaha in the Bamboo Grove at the squirrels’ feeding place. Now at that time a certain monk was afflicted by an ulcer.^[1] The surgeon, Ākāsagotta,^[2] lanced it. Then the Lord, as he was touring the lodgings, approached this monk’s dwelling-place.

^Kd.6.22.2 The surgeon, Ākāsagotta, saw the Lord coming in the distance; seeing him, he spoke thus to the Lord: “Let the revered Gotama come, let him see this monk’s orifice; it is like a lizard’s ^Vin.1.216 mouth.” Then the Lord, thinking, “This foolish man is making fun of me”, becoming silent, having turned back, having had the Order of monks convened, on this occasion, in this connection, questioned the monks, saying: “Is there, as is said, monks, an ill monk in such and such a dwelling-place?”

“There is, Lord.”

“What, monks, is this monk’s affliction?”

“Lord, the venerable one’s affliction is an ulcer. The surgeon, Ākāsagotta, lanced it.”

^Kd.6.22.3 The awakened one, the Lord rebuked them, saying:

“It is not becoming, monks, in this foolish man, it is not suitable, it is not fitting, it is not worthy of a recluse, it is not allowable, it should not be done. How, monks, can this foolish man let a lancing be done on the private parts? The skin, monks, is tender at the private parts, a wound is hard to heal, a knife hard to guide. It is not, monks, for pleasing those who are not (yet) pleased …” Having rebuked them, having given reasoned talk, he addressed the monks, saying:

“Monks, one should not let a lancing be done on the private parts. Whoever should let it be done (there), there is a grave offence.”

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^{Kd.6.22.4 BD.4.295} Now at that time the group of six monks, thinking: “Lancing is objected to by the Lord”, let a clyster be used. Those who were modest monks looked down upon, criticised, spread it about, saying: “How can this group of six monks let a clyster be used?” Then monks told this matter to the Lord. He said:

“Is it true, as is said, monks, that the group of six monks let a clyster be used?”

“It is true, Lord.” Having rebuked them, having given reasoned talk, he addressed the monks, saying:

“Monks, one should not have lancing done within a distance of two finger-breadths of the private parts nor a clyster-treatment. Whoever should have (either of these things) done, there is a grave offence.”

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Cf. Vin.1.272.

[2]:

Mentioned, I think, nowhere but here.