Bhesajjakkhandhaka (Chapter on Medicine)

by Hin-tak Sik | 2016 | 121,742 words

This study deals with the ancient Indian Medicine (Ayurveda) in Early Buddhist Literature and studies the Bhesajjakkhandhaka and the Parallels in other Vinaya Canons. The word Bhesajja means “medicine” and is the sixth chapter of the Khandhaka, which represents the second book of the Pali Vinaya Pitaka. Other works consulted include the Bhaisajya-s...

Medicines (m): Unclassified Substances

There are short pieces of information on certain medicinal substances which cannot be put into any of the above groups. This is because of several reasons: the exact identity or useful part of the plant is not known, all the parts of a plant can be utilised, or various plant parts are named in a given list.

The following provides such data:

Dharmaguptaka:—“At that time [there was] a sick monk. The physician instructed [him] to take the medicine of zhiduoluo 質多羅藥 (castor oil seed/plant, colocynth bitter apple, or white leadwort?).[1] The Buddha said: ‘A sick monk with a reason is allowed to use [it] till the end of his life.’”[2]

“At that time there was a sick monk. The physician instructed [him] to consume the medicine of mustard plant. The Buddha said: ‘A sick monk is allowed to consume it. Mustard plant is the root, stem, leaf, flower, [and] fruit–in this way [anything that is] firm. So is drumstick tree [and] so is ditu (Indian persimmon?).’”[3]

“Here, the monks in the country Jiamoluo 迦摩羅 (Kālāma?) received such medicines [which were for use] in the duration of one’s life: jasmine, large jasmine, almond, doudoulou 兜兜漏 (thorn apple?), [and] qindililiao 秦敵梨蓼 (garden cress?).”[4]

Mahīśāsaka:— “The Buddha said: ‘All grass-medicines are allowed for consumption.’”[5]

Sarvāstivāda:—“The physician said: ‘Should eat things from the pond.’ … The Buddha said: ‘… What are the things from the pond? [Things] such as lotus root, lotus seed, water chestnut, [and] seed of fox nut plant. Such various things from the pond are allowed for eating.’”[6]

Mahāsāṃghika:—“... except the dregs [from making] rock sugar, all remaining earth.” [7]

The English and botanical names of these substances are listed below:

  Original name English name Botanical name
Dharmaguptaka 質多羅 castor oil seed/plant or colocynth or white leadwort (?) Ricinus communis or Citrullus colocynthis or Plumbago zeylanica (?)
娑梨娑婆 mustard Brassica campestris
式渠 drumstick tree Moringa oleifera
帝菟 Indian persimmon (?) Diospyros peregrine (?)
沙蔓那 common jasmine Jasminum grandiflorum
摩訶沙蔓那 large jasmine a Jasminum species
杏子人 almond Prunus species
兜兜漏 thorn apple (?) Datura metel (?)
秦敵梨蓼 garden cress (?) Lepidium sativum (?)
Mahīśāsaka 一切草藥 All grass-medicines —-
Sarvāstivāda 蓮根 lotus root Nelumbo nucifera
蓮子 lotus seed Nelumbo nucifera
water chestnut Trapa natans
芡雞頭子 seed of fox nut Euryale ferox

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

質多羅 can be one of the followings: citrā, which is castor oil seed/plant; or citrā, being synonymous with citraphalā and indravāruṇī, is colocynth bitter apple; or citraka, which is white leadwort. See also A Sanskrit-English Dictionary, s.v. “citrā”.

[2]:

Taishō Tripiṭaka 1428. 867a23-24: “爾時病比丘,醫教服質多羅藥,佛言:「病比丘有因緣盡形壽聽服。」”

[3]:

Taishō Tripiṭaka 1428. 867a26-b1: “爾時有病比丘,醫教服娑梨娑婆藥,佛言:「病比丘聽服。娑梨娑婆者,根莖葉花菓若堅韌者也。式渠亦如是。帝菟...亦如是。」” 娑梨娑婆 should be sarṣapa. 式渠 should be śigru (Pāli: siggu). 帝菟 may be tinduka.

[4]:

Taishō Tripiṭaka 1428. 874a29-b2: “是中迦摩羅國諸比丘,得如是盡形壽藥,沙蔓那、摩訶沙蔓那、杏子人、兜兜漏、秦敵梨蓼。” 沙蔓那 should be sumanā. 摩訶沙蔓那 may be mahāsumanā. 兜兜漏 may be dhattūra. 秦敵梨蓼 possibly is candrikā.

[5]:

Taishō Tripiṭaka 1421. 147c2: “佛言:「一切草藥聽服。」”

[6]:

Taishō Tripiṭaka 1435. 190c24-191a8: “藥師語言:「應食池物。」...佛言:「...何等池物?若蓮根、蓮子、菱、芡雞頭子,如是種種池物聽食。」” 菱 should be śṛṅgāṭaka. 芡雞頭子 should refer to the seeds of makhānna. See A Sanskrit-English Dictionary, s.v. “makhānna”.

[7]:

Taishō Tripiṭaka1425: 245a1-2: “除石蜜滓地餘一切地。” 地 here seems to mean the earth or soil (pṛthivī).

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