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 | |
菱 | 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]:
[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。」”