Sixth Khandhaka. Chapter 22
22.
1. Now when the Blessed One had remained at Svatthi as long as he thought fit, he went forth on his journey to R"g"agaha. And wandering straight on he arrived at R"g"agaha: and there at R"g"agaha he stayed at the Veluvana in the Kalandaka-nivpa.
Now at that time a certain Bhikkhu was suffering from fistula 4. And the physician (named) ksa-gotta lanced it. And the Blessed One when he
p. 79
was going round through the sleeping-places came to the place where that Bhikkhu dwelt.
2. ksa-gotta, the physician, saw the Blessed One coming from afar; and when he saw him he said to the Blessed One: 'Let the venerable Gotama come and look at this Bhikkhu's orifice; it is like the mouth of an iguana!' And the Blessed One thinking, 'This foolish fellow is making fun of me,' kept silence and turned away. And in that connection, and on account of that, he called a meeting of the Bhikkhu-sa"m"gha, and asked the Bhikkhus: Is there, O Bhikkhus, in that Vihra a Bhikkhu who is sick?'
'There is, Lord.'
'What is the matter, O Bhikkhus, with that Bhikkhu?'
'That venerable one, Lord, has a fistula, and ksa-gotta, the physician, has been lancing it.'
3. The Blessed Buddha rebuked (that Bhikkhu), saying, 'This is improper, O Bhikkhus, for that foolish one, unbecoming, indecent, unworthy of Sama"n"as, not allowable, and ought not to be done. How can this foolish fellow, O Bhikkhus, allow a surgical operation to be performed in that part of his body 1? The skin there, O Bhikkhus, is tender, the wound is difficult to treat, the knife is difficult to guide. This will not redound, O Bhikkhus, to the conversion of the unconverted.'
And having rebuked him, the Blessed One, after delivering a religious discourse, said to the Bhikkhus: You are not, O Bhikkhus, to allow a surgical operation to be performed upon you in that part
p. 80
of your bodies. Whosoever allows that, is guilty of a thulla"k"k"aya offence.'
4. Now at that time the "Kh"abbaggiya Bhikkhus, since a surgical operation had been forbidden by the Blessed One, used a clyster 1.
They told this thing to the Blessed One.
'Is it true, as they say, O Bhikkhus, that the "Kh"abbaggiya Bhikkhus use a clyster?'
'It is true, Lord.'
He rebuked them, and having delivered a religious discourse, said to the Bhikkhus: 'No surgical operation is to be performed within a distance of two inches round the anus, and a clyster is not to be used. Whosoever does so, is guilty of a thulla"k"k"aya offence 2.'
Footnotes
78:4 Compare Viii, 1, 14.
79:1 Sambdhe.
80:1 Vatthikamma. See Wise, 'Hindu Medicine,' pp. 143 and following.
80:2 Surgical operations are allowed in 14. 5 and below.
1. Now when the Blessed One had remained at Svatthi as long as he thought fit, he went forth on his journey to R"g"agaha. And wandering straight on he arrived at R"g"agaha: and there at R"g"agaha he stayed at the Veluvana in the Kalandaka-nivpa.
Now at that time a certain Bhikkhu was suffering from fistula 4. And the physician (named) ksa-gotta lanced it. And the Blessed One when he
p. 79
was going round through the sleeping-places came to the place where that Bhikkhu dwelt.
2. ksa-gotta, the physician, saw the Blessed One coming from afar; and when he saw him he said to the Blessed One: 'Let the venerable Gotama come and look at this Bhikkhu's orifice; it is like the mouth of an iguana!' And the Blessed One thinking, 'This foolish fellow is making fun of me,' kept silence and turned away. And in that connection, and on account of that, he called a meeting of the Bhikkhu-sa"m"gha, and asked the Bhikkhus: Is there, O Bhikkhus, in that Vihra a Bhikkhu who is sick?'
'There is, Lord.'
'What is the matter, O Bhikkhus, with that Bhikkhu?'
'That venerable one, Lord, has a fistula, and ksa-gotta, the physician, has been lancing it.'
3. The Blessed Buddha rebuked (that Bhikkhu), saying, 'This is improper, O Bhikkhus, for that foolish one, unbecoming, indecent, unworthy of Sama"n"as, not allowable, and ought not to be done. How can this foolish fellow, O Bhikkhus, allow a surgical operation to be performed in that part of his body 1? The skin there, O Bhikkhus, is tender, the wound is difficult to treat, the knife is difficult to guide. This will not redound, O Bhikkhus, to the conversion of the unconverted.'
And having rebuked him, the Blessed One, after delivering a religious discourse, said to the Bhikkhus: You are not, O Bhikkhus, to allow a surgical operation to be performed upon you in that part
p. 80
of your bodies. Whosoever allows that, is guilty of a thulla"k"k"aya offence.'
4. Now at that time the "Kh"abbaggiya Bhikkhus, since a surgical operation had been forbidden by the Blessed One, used a clyster 1.
They told this thing to the Blessed One.
'Is it true, as they say, O Bhikkhus, that the "Kh"abbaggiya Bhikkhus use a clyster?'
'It is true, Lord.'
He rebuked them, and having delivered a religious discourse, said to the Bhikkhus: 'No surgical operation is to be performed within a distance of two inches round the anus, and a clyster is not to be used. Whosoever does so, is guilty of a thulla"k"k"aya offence 2.'
Footnotes
78:4 Compare Viii, 1, 14.
79:1 Sambdhe.
80:1 Vatthikamma. See Wise, 'Hindu Medicine,' pp. 143 and following.
80:2 Surgical operations are allowed in 14. 5 and below.
