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Ayurveda
: Ancient Heritage in the Age of Globalisation
care measures introduced by Jivaka in the Sangha , more
and more lay persons entered the Order. Many people,
afflicted with disease and unable to pay for treatment,
joined the Order in order to avail free medical facilities.
This influx naturally rendered Jivaka’s task more difficult.
He was unable to cope with the increased workload.
Further, he thought, the Order was misused. At his
suggestion, Buddha laid down a rule that men afflicted
with certain diseases be refused entry into the Order.
32
At
other occasion, when Jīvaka went to Vesali (capital of
Licchavi) on serving the patient, he noticed the monks
there had gone pale and were unhealthy looking. At
Jīvaka’s request, the Buddha instructed the monks to
exercise regularly
33
.
Jivaka was not only an exponent of the large-scale
application of Ayurveda in the history of early Buddhism
but also an ardent Buddha follower. His regular interaction
recorded in dialogue shapes
34
reflect his deep influence in
the formulisation of early Buddhist concepts such as the
quality of virtuous lay followers, definition of Ahimsa
(non-violence) in food habit, and the justification of the
31
DA
.i.133;
MA
.ii.590
32
The disease prevalent in Magadha of those times included: leprosy,
boils, dry leprosy, consumption, and fits (Vin.i.71ff). Later cripples
and homosexuals were also kept out of the order. (I.B. Horner 2000
The Book of the Discipline
(Vinaya-Pitaka),Vol. 4, pp. 141-142
Oxford: Pali Text Society).
