Lzh Mu Bi Pm Np 19The Five Tonics
Pāli / Sanskrit:Bhesajja
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THE SUTRA ON THE FIVE MEDICINES (BHESAJJA)
Context
The Sutra on the Five Medicines belongs to the Vinaya Piṭaka, specifically the Nuns’ Pātimokkha, the rules that female disciples must uphold. In the Theravāda Buddhist tradition, the Vinaya Piṭaka is regarded as the foundation of the renunciant life, not merely as restrictions on conduct, but as a method of practice for regulating mind and action.
The context of this sutra lies in the rules concerning the use of medicines and the care of health for bhikkhus and bhikkhunīs. The Buddha clearly recognized that monastics need health in order to continue practicing the Dharma (bhāvanā). Therefore, he gave guidance on using medicine in a way appropriate to a pure life, without creating craving or dependence.
Main Content
The sutra sets forth five kinds of medicine permitted for use in the community of monks and nuns in order to maintain health and continue practice. These five medicines (bhesajja) include ghee, oil, honey, molasses, and salt.
These “tonics” or nourishing substances were permitted by the Buddha for necessary situations when the body was weakened. However, they were not to be used in pursuit of comfort or sensory satisfaction, but to maintain basic health for the practice of the Dharma. This is the wise balance between excessive austerity and excessive self-indulgence, the middle way taught by the Buddha.
The related rules also state clearly the times when these medicines may be used, usually in the morning before the prescribed noon limit for eating, while some may be used at other times. This expresses discipline and mindfulness in every action of the practitioner.
Practical Meaning
The Sutra on the Five Medicines teaches us an important lesson about balance in practice. The body is not an obstacle to be discarded, nor is it something to be cared for excessively. The body is a means for practice and should be nourished wisely, without waste, but also without allowing it to weaken.
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