122 Badhism : — Laws of the Budhist Priesthood, 



his slaves, if he would undertake their cure. The physician 

 replied, that he could not possibly attend to them, his duty to 

 the king, to the royal household, to Budha and his priests, 

 who were placed under his care by the king, occupying the 

 whole of his time. Upon this some of the men determined to 

 join the priesthood that they might obtain the aid of the royal 

 physician. They accordingly went to the priests, were admit- 

 ted, and received ordination. Being priests the physician 

 prescribed for them, and they were restored to health. After 

 ^his they left the priesthood. The physician meeting one of 

 them recognized him and said, Were you not a priest? He 

 acknowledged it, and stated that he had been a priest solely 

 to obtain his aid as a physician, and that upon being cured 

 he had left the priesthood. The physician was much dis- 

 pleased, and complained to Budha, requesting him to prohibit 

 persons having these diseases being admitted into the priest- 

 hood. Budha soothed his mind with religious discourse, and 

 upon his departure decreed: 



29. Priests, it is not proper to admit into the priesthood 

 any person who is affected with the five diseases. He who 

 admits such a person into the priesthood is guilty of Dukkata. 



Disturbances having occurred in the provinces, the king of 

 Magadha ordered his troops to quell them. Some of the 

 celebrated warriors thought, If we go delighting in war, we 

 shall commit sin and bring much demerit upon ourselves; by 

 what means shall we escape so as to avoid committing sin and 

 be able to perform good works. The priests are good and 

 virtuous men: if we join the priesthood our object will be 

 accomplished. They accordingly went to the priests, were 

 admitted into the priesthood and received Upasampada. 

 When the commander of the forces enquired where such and 

 such soldiers were, he was informed that they had become 

 priests. Upon learning this he was much displeased, and 

 reported the case to the king Bimbisaro, stating that such 

 persons ought to be capitally punished, together with those 

 who had admitted them into the priesthood. 



