Lzh Dg Bi Pm Pc 147Medical Treament Below the Navel

Sutta on Medical Treatment Below the Navel (Pasākhejāta)

Background

The Pasākhejāta Sutta belongs to the Pātimokkha section in the Vinaya Piṭaka of the Theravāda Buddhist tradition. It is a detailed rule concerning the treatment of illnesses among bhikkhus. In the historical context of early Buddhism, regulations on medicine and healing were recorded carefully because the health of the Sangha directly affected the capacity of monastics to practice and propagate the Dharma.

This sutta reflects the Buddha's practical attitude toward the basic needs of those gone forth. Although Buddhism emphasizes renunciation of worldly desires, care for bodily health is regarded as necessary for maintaining the ability to practice properly. Therefore, medical regulations are not needless restrictions, but practical guidelines helping bhikkhus avoid attachment to excessive treatment.

Main Content

The Pasākhejāta Sutta specifically regulates the use of medical methods for the part of the body below the navel (pasākha = lower region, khejāta = navel). This includes illnesses connected with the digestive tract, the reproductive system, and the lower parts of the body. The sutta permits bhikkhus to use lawful therapies, such as medicines or other treatments, but with certain limits intended to avoid intrusion into areas considered sensitive or likely to cause moral offense.

This permission is not unconditional. Bhikkhus must observe certain criteria: the method of treatment must be carried out by those with medical knowledge, the treatment process must be conducted solemnly and appropriately, and all decisions concerning health must be made with mindfulness and right understanding in accordance with the Dharma. The sutta also implicitly indicates that healing should not become a means for satisfying desires for pleasure or the body in strange ways.