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Mv VIII 05
PTS: Mv VIII 1.21 | CS: vin.mv.08.05
Seṭṭhiputtavatthu
The Story of the Money-lender’s Son
by
Ven. Khematto Bhikkhu
Alternate translations/layout: 'line by line' Pāḷi - English

(Mv.VIII.1.21) [133] Now on that occasion the son of a money-lender of Bārāṇasī got a knot in his intestines doing gymnastics. Because of that, he couldn’t properly digest the conjey he had drunk or solid foods he had eaten, and his urination and bowel movements were irregular. As a result, he became thin, wretched, unattractive, and pale, his body covered with veins. Then the thought occurred to the money-lender of Bārāṇasī, “My son has the kind of disease such that he can’t properly digest the conjey he has drunk or solid foods he has eaten, and his urination and bowel movements are irregular. As a result, he is thin, wretched, unattractive, and pale, his body covered with veins. What if I were to go to Rājagaha and ask for doctor Jīvaka from the king, to treat my son?”

So, going to Rājagaha, he went to king Seniya Bimbisāra of Magadha and, on arrival, said to him, “Your majesty, my son has the kind of disease such that he can’t properly digest the conjey he has drunk or solid foods he has eaten, and his urination and bowel movements are irregular. As a result, he is thin, wretched, unattractive, and pale, his body covered with veins. It would be good if your majesty would command doctor Jīvaka to treat him.”

(Mv.VIII.1.22) So King Seniya Bimbisāra commanded Jīvaka Komārabhacca: “Go, I say, Jīvaka. Having gone to Bārāṇasī, treat the son of the money-lender of Bārāṇasī.”

Responding, “As you say, your majesty,” to the king, Jīvaka Komārabhacca, having gone to Bārāṇasī, went to the son of the money-lender of Bārāṇasī. On arrival, after observing the son of the money-lender’s symptoms, he had the people stand back, put up a curtain around him, and tied him to a pillar. Having his wife stand in front of him, he cut open the skin of his belly and, taking out his intestines, showed them to his wife, (saying,)

“Look at your husband’s disease. Because of this he can’t properly digest the conjey he has drunk or solid foods he has eaten, and his urination and bowel movements are irregular. As a result, he is thin, wretched, unattractive, and pale, his body covered with veins.”

Having untied the knot in his intestines, put them back in, and sewed up the incision, he applied an ointment. In no long time, the son of the money-lender of Bārāṇasī was cured. Then the money-lender of Bārāṇasī, (thinking,) “My son is cured,” gave Jīvaka Komārabhacca sixteen thousand.

Taking the sixteen thousand, he returned to Rājagaha.

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