(Mv.VIII.1.16) [132] Now on that occasion a money-lender of Rājagaha had a seven-year headache. Many great doctors, the foremost in all directions, having come to treat him, couldn’t cure him of his illness. Taking a great deal of money, they left. It had reached the point where the doctors had given up on him. Some doctors said, “On the fifth day, the money-lender will die.”

Some doctors said, “On the seventh day, the money-lender will die.”

Then the thought occurred to the Rājagaha City Council:

“This money-lender has done much for the king and for the City Council, and it has reached the point where the doctors have given up on him. Some doctors say, ‘On the fifth day, the money-lender will die.’ Some doctors say, ‘On the seventh day, the money-lender will die.’ But there’s this Jīvaka, the king’s doctor, who is young & talented. What if we were to ask for Jīvaka from the king to treat the money-lender?”

(Mv.VIII.1.17) So the Rājagaha City Council went to King Seniya Bimbisāra and on arrival said to him,

“Your majesty, this money-lender has done much for the king and for the City Council, and it has reached the point where the doctors have given up on him. Some doctors say, ‘On the fifth day, the money-lender will die.’ Some doctors say, ‘On the seventh day, the money-lender will die.’ It would be good if your majesty would command doctor Jīvaka to treat the money-lender.”

So King Seniya Bimbisāra commanded Jīvaka Komārabhacca: “Go, I say, Jīvaka, and treat the money-lender.”

Responding, “As you say, your majesty,” to the king, Jīvaka Komārabhacca went to the money-lender. On arrival, after observing the money-lender’s symptoms, he said to him, “If I were to cure you, householder, what would be my reward?”

“All my property will be yours, teacher, and I your slave.”

(Mv.VIII.1.18) “But, householder, can you lie on one side for seven months?”

“Teacher, I can lie on one side for seven months.”

“And can you lie on the other side for seven months?”

“I can lie on the other side for seven months.”

“And can you lie on your back for seven months?”

“I can lie on my back for seven months.”

Then Jīvaka Komārabhacca, having had the money-lender lie on a bed, having bound him to the bed, made an incision in the skin of his head. Drilling a hole in his skull[1] and drawing out two creatures, he showed them to the people: “See these two creatures, one small, the other large? Those teachers who said, ‘On the fifth day, the money-lender will die,’ had seen this large creature. By the fifth day it would have consumed the money-lender’s brain. From the consumption of his brain, the money-lender would have died. That was well-seen by those teachers.

“Those teachers who said, ‘On the seventh day, the money-lender will die,’ had seen this small creature. By the seventh day it would have consumed the money-lender’s brain. From the consumption of his brain, the money-lender would have died. That was well-seen by those teachers, too.”

Closing the hole in the skull and stitching the skin of the head, he applied an ointment.

(Mv.VIII.1.19) Then the money-lender, after the passing of seven days, said to Jīvaka Komārabhacca, “Teacher, I can’t lie on one side for seven months.”

“But didn’t you respond to me, householder, ‘Teacher, I can lie on one side for seven months’?”

“It’s true, teacher, that I responded (in that way). But I will die. I can’t lie on one side for seven months.”

“In that case, householder, lie on the other side for seven months.”

Then the money-lender, after the passing of seven days, said to Jīvaka Komārabhacca, “Teacher, I can’t lie on the other side for seven months.”

“But didn’t you respond to me, householder, ‘I can lie on the other side for seven months’?”

“It’s true, teacher, that I responded (in that way). But I will die. I can’t lie on the other side for seven months.”

“In that case, householder, lie on your back for seven months.”

Then the money-lender, after the passing of seven days, said to Jīvaka Komārabhacca, “Teacher, I can’t lie on my back for seven months.”

“But didn’t you respond to me, householder, ‘I can lie on my back for seven months’?”

“It’s true, teacher, that I responded (in that way). But I will die. I can’t lie on my back for seven months.”

(Mv.VIII.1.20) “Householder, if I hadn’t said that to you, you would not have lied down for this long. But I knew beforehand, ‘In three times seven days the money-lender will be cured.’ Get up, householder. Know that you are cured. What is my reward?”

“All my property is yours, teacher, and I am your slave.”

“Enough, householder. Don’t give me all your property and don’t be my slave. Give 100,000 to the king and 100,000 to us.”

So the money-lender gave 100,000 to the king and 100,000 to Jīvaka Komārabhacca.