San Lo Bi Vb Np 23The Five Tonics

The Text on the Five Medicines (Bhesajja)

Background

The Text on the Five Medicines belongs to the Vinaya Piṭaka in the Pāli Canon, within the Nissaggiya Pācittiya section, prohibitions carrying a lighter disciplinary consequence. This text records instructions on how women monastics (bhikkhunīs) use medicines and nutritive substances in caring for health.

According to the Theravāda tradition, the Vinaya Piṭaka is not merely a collection of prohibitions, but an expression of the Buddha’s compassion (mettā). Each prohibition has a specific reason: either because someone committed a fault, or to prevent potential faults. The Text on the Five Medicines was laid down to protect the health of bhikkhus, especially bhikkhunīs, who could easily become ill in the austere life of practice.

Main Content

This text prescribes five health-supporting substances that may be used: ghee, oil, honey, sugarcane molasses, and salt. These substances are not regarded as "food," but as "medicine" (bhesajja) or "nutritive supplements," and therefore monastics may use them outside the main meal time, under the rule of not eating after noon.

However, the use of these medicines is not unlimited. If monastics store them up, indulge in them, or use them with partiality, they violate the corresponding Nissaggiya Pācittiya rule. The purpose is to educate in restraint, using material things only to maintain health in service of practice, not to seek comfort or sensual enjoyment.

The Text on the Five Medicines also reflects ancient Indian and Southeast Asian medical knowledge, in which these substances were considered to have hot, cold, or neutral qualities and the capacity to balance bodily elements according to Āyurvedic theory. The Buddha did not deny the importance of bodily health; indeed, one of the Four Noble Truths (Ariyasacca) concerns the ending of suffering, including physical suffering.