en:tipitaka:vin:mv:mv06:mv.06.08.khem

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Satthakammapaṭikkhepakathā: The Discussion of the Prohibition Against Surgery

Satthakammapaṭikkhepakathā

Summary:

Mv VI 08 PTS: Mv VI 22 | CS: vin.mv.06.08

Satthakammapaṭikkhepakathā

The Discussion of the Prohibition Against Surgery

by

Ven. Khematto Bhikkhu

Alternate translations/layout: Ven. Thanissaro | 'line by line' Pāḷi - English

(Mv.VI.22.1) [57] Then the Blessed One, having stayed at Sāvatthī as long as he liked, set out on a wandering tour toward Rājagaha, and traveling by stages, arrived at Rājagaha. There at Rājagaha he stayed in the Bamboo Grove, the Squirrel’s Feeding Ground. Now at that time a certain bhikkhu had a hemorrhoid. A doctor of the Ākāsa clan was performing surgery on it. Then the Blessed One, on a tour of the lodgings, went to that bhikkhu’s dwelling.

(Mv.VI.22.2) The doctor of the Ākāsa clan saw the Blessed One coming from afar and, on seeing him, said, “Come, Master Gotama. Look at this bhikkhu’s anus. It’s like an iguana’s mouth.”

Then the Blessed One, (knowing,) “This worthless man is making fun of me,” having turned back right there, had the monks assembled and — with regard to this cause, to this incident — asked them: “Monks, is there a sick monk in that dwelling over there?”

“There is, O Blessed One.”

“Monks, what is the monk’s illness?”

“Lord, that venerable one has a hemorrhoid. A doctor of the Ākāsa clan is performing surgery on it.”

(Mv.VI.22.3) The Buddha, the Blessed One, rebuked them, “Monks, it is unseemly, unbecoming, unsuitable, unworthy of a contemplative, improper, and not to be done. How can this worthless man have surgery done in the crotch? In the crotch the skin is tender, a wound is hard to heal, the knife hard to guide.

“Monks, this neither inspires faith in the faithless …”

Having rebuked them and given a Dhamma talk, he addressed the monks: “One should not have surgery done in the crotch. Whoever should have it done: a grave offense.”

(Mv.VI.22.4) Now at that time the Group-of-six monks, (thinking,) “Surgery has been prohibited by the Blessed One,” had hemorrhoid removal performed (using string). Those bhikkhus who were modest … criticized and complained and spread it about:

“How can the Group-of-six monks have hemorrhoid removal performed?”

Then the monks reported the matter to the Blessed One.

“It it true, as they say, monks, that the Group-of-six monks have hemorrhoid removal performed?”

“It’s true, O Blessed One.”

Having rebuked them and given a Dhamma talk, he addressed the monks: “Surgery and hemorrhoid removal should not be done within the area two inches around the crotch. Whoever should do it (have it done): a grave offense.”(1)

Notes


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en/tipitaka/vin/mv/mv06/mv.06.08.khem.txt · Last modified: 2022/03/24 13:49 by Johann