Upp Np 30The Five Tonics
Pāli / Sanskrit:Bhesajja
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The Sutta on the Five Medicines (Bhesajja)
Context
The Bhesajja Sutta, the Five Tonics, is recorded in the Vinaya Piṭaka of the Theravāda tradition, specifically in the Upāsakupāli Nipāta section. These are regulations concerning how bhikkhus and those studying the Buddha-Dharma should use medicine in a way consistent with Buddhist mindfulness. This context arose from a practical need: as the monastic community developed, issues of health care and the use of medicine needed clear regulation.
The Buddha discovered that one can practice the true Dharma only when the body is not too ill, but also that one must not cling to the body. Therefore, he set down corresponding instructions concerning medicinal substances that bhikkhus may use to maintain health and continue practice without violating the purity of the disciplinary rules.
Main Content
This discourse clearly regulates five kinds of medicines that bhikkhus are permitted to use. These medicines are divided into categories according to their nature and function. The first consists of medicines made from natural materials processed simply, such as water, orange juice, lemon juice, or other natural liquids. The second consists of powders, oils, and preparations made from plants and natural minerals, used for application, massage, or treatment.
The third consists of foods and nourishing substances supplied to strengthen resistance. The fourth consists of special oral medicines, and the fifth consists of medicines regarded as “wonder medicines” capable of treating complex illnesses. However, the important point is that all these medicines are used with the intention of healing illness (ārogyā-nimitta), not to satisfy hunger or desire for pleasant taste.
The discourse emphasizes that the use of medicine should be undertaken under the guidance of physicians or those knowledgeable in medicine, and should be applied carefully, without excessive greed or optimism.
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