Xct Mu Bi Np 19The Five Tonics
Pāli / Sanskrit:Bhesajja
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Exposition of the Rule on the Five Medicines (Bhesajja)
Background
The Rule on the Five Medicines is recorded in the Vinaya Piṭaka, the collection that forms the disciplinary foundation for the monastic community. It is not a discourse collection (Sutta), but part of the discipline, reflecting the Buddha’s concern for the bodily health of disciples engaged in practice.
In the context of ancient India, monastics lived in harsh conditions with many illnesses. Out of boundless compassion, the Buddha permitted the Sangha to use certain medicinal substances and foods for healing and maintaining health. The Bhesajja rule (bhesajja = medicine, remedy) lists five kinds of substances permitted for use as “medicine.”
Main Content
The five medicines (Pancabhesajjāni) recognized in early Buddhism are:
First, ghee (ghee, clarified butter). This is a valuable fat, providing energy and helping keep the body warm in cold weather. Ghee was regarded as a “golden medicine” because of its nourishing and healing effects.
Second, oil (taila). Sesame oil or other plant oils are useful for treating skin ailments, reducing swelling and inflammation, and nourishing the body externally.
Third, honey (madhu). Honey is regarded as a precious food, capable of treating coughs and sore throats and strengthening resistance.
Fourth, sugar (jaggery, raw cane sugar). This is a quick source of energy, helping restore strength and regulate the balance of bodily fluids.
Fifth, salt (lavana). Salt helps replenish electrolytes, stimulate digestion, and support important physiological processes.
The rule states that bhikkhus are permitted to use these five medicines for healing, without violating the discipline through unnecessary self-mortification. This shows that early Buddhism is not a religion that absolutely rejects the world, but a practical path of practice, balancing spiritual cultivation with care for the body.
Practical Meaning
The Rule on the Five Medicines teaches us a profound lesson about practical Buddhism.
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