Lzh Mg Bu Pm Np 23The Five Tonics
Pāli / Sanskrit:Bhesajja
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The Sutta on the Five Tonics (Bhesajja)
Context
The Bhesajja Sutta (The Five Tonics) is recorded in the Vinaya Piṭaka of the Pāli Canon, specifically within the section on the Discipline for Bhikkhunīs (Bhikkhunī Pātimokkha). It is a regulation concerning the use of medicinal requisites within the monastic community of Theravāda Buddhism.
The context in which this text arose is connected to the provisions governing communal property and the legitimate use of medicinal items in the monastery. The Buddha established these rules in order to ensure that medicinal materials are used for their proper purpose, are not misappropriated or claimed as personal possessions, and serve to protect the health of the bhikkhunīs.
Principal Contents
The Sutta on the Five Tonics sets forth five categories of medicinal requisites that are permitted for lawful use within the training community:
Ghee (clarified animal fat) is regarded as a tonic—a precious nutritive substance for sustaining health.
Vegetable oil is likewise recognized as a tonic that supports health and aids the recovery of the body in times of illness.
Honey both possesses curative properties and replenishes energy for those in training, particularly those who have fallen ill or grown weak.
Sugar (Jaggery) is considered an important tonic, providing rapid energy to those in need of restoration.
Water is the most fundamental element of all, regarded as a universal tonic, indispensable in the course of convalescence and the care of one's health.
These requisites are not to be appropriated by individuals. They are the communal property of the community, administered by those charged with upholding the Discipline, and are to be used only when there is a legitimate medical need. This sutta places particular emphasis on transparency and fairness in distribution, ensuring that no one exploits the pretext of illness to lay claim to communal property for personal benefit.
Practical Significance
The Sutta on the Five Tonics reflects the Theravāda philosophy of balance between ascetic restraint and the reasonable care of one's body.
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