There are many people who, because treated by small minded people and there views, break up the training because of health proplems, having simply problems to maintain their body, having not the best digestion or immune system. And there are not less. Sadly in association with fools who by giving their ideas more value as to provide with helpful alternatives even force people to give up their training, leave Brahmachariya, quite with eight precepts and also disrobe.
To understand the spirit of tonics:
(Mv.VI.1.1) [25] Now at that time the Buddha, the Blessed One, was staying at Sāvatthī, in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s Monastery. And at that time, the bhikkhus, afflicted by the autumn disease, would throwup the conjey they had drunk and the meals they had eaten. Because of this they were thin, wretched, unattractive, pale, their bodies covered with veins. The Blessed One saw them — thin, wretched, unattractive, pale, their bodies covered with veins — and on seeing them, addressed Ven. Ānanda,
“Ānanda, why are the monks, at this time, thin, wretched, unattractive, pale, their bodies covered with veins?”
“Lord, at this time the monks, afflicted by the autumn disease, throw up the conjey they have drunk and the meals they have eaten. Because of this they are thin, wretched, unattractive, pale, their bodies covered with veins.”
(Mv.VI.1.2) Then, as the Blessed One was alone in seclusion, this train of thought arose in his awareness:
“At this time the monks, afflicted by the autumn disease, throw up the conjey they have drunk and the meals they have eaten. Because of this they are thin, wretched, unattractive, pale, their bodies covered with veins.
“What if I were to allow medicine for them that would be both medicine and agreed to be medicine by the world, and fulfill the purpose of food, yet would not be considered substantial food.”
Then the thought occurred to him: “There are these five tonics — ghee, fresh butter, oil, honey, sugar/molasses — that are both medicine and agreed to be medicine by the world, and fulfill the purpose of food, yet would not be considered substantial food.
“What if I were now to allow the monks, having accepted them at the right time (from dawnrise to noon), to consume them at the right time?”
(Mv.VI.1.3) Then, when it was evening, the Blessed One rose from seclusion and, having given a Dhamma talk with regard to this cause, to this incident, addressed the monks:
“Just now, monks, as I was alone in seclusion, this train of thought arose in my awareness:
“‘At this time the monks, afflicted by the autumn disease, throw up the conjey they have drunk and the meals they have eaten. Because of this they are thin, wretched, unattractive, pale, their bodies covered with veins.
“‘What if I were to allow medicine for them that would be both medicine and agreed to be medicine by the world, and fulfill the purpose of food, yet would not be considered substantial food.’
“Then this thought occurred to me: ‘There are these five tonics — ghee, fresh butter, oil, honey, sugar/molasses — that are both medicine and agreed to be medicine by the world, and fulfill the purpose of food yet would not be considered substantial food.
“‘What if I were now to allow the monks, having accepted them at the right time (from dawnrise to noon), to consume them at the right time?’
“Monks, I allow that the five tonics, having been accepted at the right time, be consumed at the right time.”
(Mv.VI.1.4) [26] Now at that time monks, having accepted the five tonics at the right time, consumed them at the right time. (Because of this) they could not stomach even ordinary coarse foods, much less rich, greasy ones. As a result, afflicted both by the autumn disease and this loss of appetite for meals, they became even more thin, wretched, unattractive, pale, their bodies covered with veins. The Blessed One saw them — even more thin, wretched, unattractive, pale, their bodies covered with veins — and on seeing them, addressed Ven. Ānanda,
“Ānanda, why are the monks now even more thin, wretched, unattractive, pale, their bodies covered with veins?”
(Mv.VI.1.5) “At this time, the monks, having accepted the five tonics at the right time, consume them at the right time.
“Because of this they can’t stomach even ordinary coarse foods, much less rich, greasy ones.
“As a result, afflicted both by the autumn disease and this loss of appetite for meals, they are even more thin, wretched, unattractive, pale, their bodies covered with veins.”
Then the Blessed One, having given a Dhamma talk with regard to this cause, to this incident, addressed the monks:
“Monks, I allow that the five tonics, having been accepted, be consumed at the right time or the wrong time.”
(Mv.VI.2.1) [27] Now at that time the sick monks needed tallow-medicine. They reported the matter to the Blessed One.
“Monks, I allow that tallow-medicine — i.e., tallow from bears, tallow from fish, tallow from alligators, tallow from pigs, tallow from donkeys — be consumed as oil if received in the right time, rendered in the right time, and filtered in the right time.[2]
(Mv.VI.2.2) “Monks, if one should consume what is received in the wrong time, rendered in the wrong time, and filtered in the wrong time: three offenses of wrong-doing.
“Monks, if one should consume what is received in the right time, rendered in the wrong time, and filtered in the wrong time: two offenses of wrong-doing.
“Monks, if one should consume what is received in the right time, rendered in the right time, and filtered in the wrong time: an offense of wrong-doing.
“Monks, if one should consume what is received in the right time, rendered in the right time, and filtered in the right time: no offense.
(១៦០. បញ្ចភេសជ្ជកថា)
[៧៣] សម័យនោះ ព្រះពុទ្ធដ៏មានព្រះភាគ គង់នៅវត្តជេតពនរបស់អនាថបិណ្ឌិកសេដ្ឋី ទៀបក្រុងសាវត្ថី។ គ្រានោះឯង ពួកភិក្ខុកើតអាពាធ (ប្រមាត់) ក្នុងសរទកាល33) បបរដែលហុតទៅ ក៏ចង្អោរចេញមកវិញ បាយដែលឆាន់ទៅ ក៏ចង្អោរចេញមកវិញ។ ព្រោះហេតុនោះ ពួកភិក្ខុទាំងនោះក៏មានខ្លួនស្គាំងស្គមសៅហ្មង មានសម្បុរអាក្រក់ កើតជារោគលឿង ស្លេកស្លាំង មានខ្លួនរវាមដោយសរសៃ។ ព្រះដ៏មានព្រះភាគបានទតឃើញភិក្ខុទាំងនោះស្គាំងស្គម សៅហ្មង មានសម្បុរអាក្រក់ កើតជារោគលឿង ស្លេកស្លាំង មានខ្លួនរវាមដោយសរសៃ លុះទតឃើញហើយ ក៏ត្រាស់ហៅព្រះអានន្ទដ៏មានអាយុមកថា ម្នាលអានន្ទ ក្នុងពេលនេះ ហេតុដូចម្តេចបានជាពួកភិក្ខុស្គាំងស្គម សៅហ្មង មានសម្បុរអាក្រក់ កើតជារោគលឿង ស្លេកស្លាំង មានខ្លួនរវាមដោយសរសៃ។ ព្រះអានន្ទក្រាបទូលថា បពិត្រព្រះអង្គដ៏ចំរើន ឥឡូវនេះ ពួកភិក្ខុកើតអាពាធ (ប្រមាត់) ក្នុងសរទកាល បបរដែលហុតទៅ ក៏ចង្អោរចេញមកវិញ បាយដែលឆាន់ទៅ ក៏ចង្អោរចេញមកវិញ ព្រោះអាពាធនោះ បានជាភិក្ខុទាំងនោះស្គំាងស្គម សៅហ្មង មានសម្បុរអាក្រក់ កើតជារោគលឿង ស្លេកស្លាំង មានខ្លួនរវាមដោយសរសៃ។ គ្រានោះ ព្រះមានព្រះភាគ ទ្រង់គង់សម្ងំនៅក្នុងទីស្ងាត់ ក៏មានព្រះហឫទ័យត្រិះរិះដូច្នេះថា ឥឡូវនេះ ពួកភិក្ខុកើតអាពាធ (ប្រមាត់) ក្នុងសរទកាល បបរដែលហុតទៅ ក៏ចង្អោរចេញមកវិញ បាយដែលឆាន់ទៅ ក៏ចង្អោរចេញមកវិញ ព្រោះអាពាធនោះហើយ បានជាភិក្ខុទាំងនោះ ទៅជាស្គាំងស្គម សៅហ្មង មានសម្បុរអាក្រក់ កើតជារោគលឿង ស្លេកស្លាំង មានខ្លួនរវាមដោយសរសៃ (ឥឡូវ) វត្ថុដែលជាភេសជ្ជៈក៏មាន វត្ថុដែលគេសន្មតថាជាភេសជ្ជៈក៏មាន វត្ថុដែលផ្សាយទៅសម្រាប់ជាអាហាររបស់មនុស្សលោក ក៏មាន វត្ថុដែលជាអាហារមិនបានគ្រោតគ្រាត ក៏មាន តើគួរតថាគតអនុញ្ញាតវត្ថុដូចម្តេច ទើបសមគួរជាភេសជ្ជៈដល់ភិក្ខុទាំងឡាយហ្ន៎។ លំដាប់នោះ ព្រះមានព្រះភាគ ទ្រង់ត្រិះរិះដូច្នេះថា ភេសជ្ជៈទាំង៥នេះគឺ ទឹកដោះរាវ១ ទឹកដោះខាប់១ ប្រេង១ ទឹកឃ្មុំ១ ស្ករអំពៅ១ វត្ថុទាំងនេះ ជាភេសជ្ជៈផង ដែលគេសន្មតថាជាភេសជ្ជៈផង ផ្សាយទៅសម្រាប់ជាអាហាររបស់មនុស្សលោកផង ជាអាហារមិនបានគ្រោតគ្រាតផង បើដូច្នោះ មានតែតថាគតអនុញ្ញាតភេសជ្ជៈទាំង៥នេះដល់ពួកភិក្ខុ ដើម្បីឲ្យភិក្ខុទទួលក្នុងកាលគួរ ឆាន់ក្នុងកាលគួរ34) បាន។ ព្រោះនិទាននេះ ដំណើរនេះ ទើបព្រះមានព្រះភាគ ទ្រង់ចេញអំពីទីសម្ងំ ក្នុងទីស្ងាត់ នៅវេលាសាយណ្ហសម័យ ហើយទ្រង់ធ្វើធម្មីកថា រួចត្រាស់ហៅភិក្ខុទាំងឡាយមកថា ម្នាលភិក្ខុទាំងឡាយ ក្នុងវេលានេះ តថាគតសម្ងំនៅក្នុងទីស្ងាត់ មានចិត្តត្រិះរិះដូច្នេះថា ឥឡូវនេះ ពួកភិក្ខុកើតអាពាធ (ប្រមាត់) ក្នុងសរទកាលហើយ បបរដែលហុតទៅ ក៏ចង្អោរចេញមកវិញ បាយដែលឆាន់ទៅ ក៏ចង្អោរចេញមកវិញ ព្រោះអាពាធនោះ ទើបបានជាភិក្ខុទាំងនោះស្គាំងស្គម សៅហ្មង មានសម្បុរអាក្រក់ កើតជារោគលឿង ស្លេកស្លាំង មានខ្លួនរវាមដោយសរសៃ វត្ថុខ្លះជាភេសជ្ជៈ វត្ថុខ្លះដែលគេសន្មតថាជាភេសជ្ជៈ វត្ថុខ្លះផ្សាយទៅសម្រាប់ជាអាហាររបស់មនុស្សលោក វត្ថុខ្លះជាអាហារមិនបានគ្រោតគ្រាត តើគួរតថាគតអនុញ្ញាតវត្ថុដូចម្តេច ទើបសមគួរជាភេសជ្ជៈដល់ភិក្ខុទាំងឡាយហ្ន៎ ម្នាលភិក្ខុទាំងឡាយ តថាគតឯង មានសេចក្តីត្រិះរិះដូច្នេះថា ភេសជ្ជៈទាំង៥នេះគឺ ទឹកដោះរាវ១ ទឹកដោះខាប់១ ប្រេង១ ទឹកឃ្មុំ១ ស្ករអំពៅ១ របស់ទាំងនេះ ជាភេសជ្ជៈផង ដែលគេសន្មតថាជាភេសជ្ជៈផង ផ្សាយទៅសម្រាប់ជាអាហាររបស់មនុស្សលោកផង ជាអាហារមិនបានគ្រោតគ្រាតផង បើដូច្នោះ មានតែតថាគតអនុញ្ញាតភេសជ្ជៈទាំង៥នេះ ដល់ភិក្ខុទាំងឡាយ ដើម្បីឲ្យភិក្ខុទទួលក្នុងកាលគួរ បរិភោគក្នុងកាលគួរ។ ម្នាលភិក្ខុទាំងឡាយ តថាគតអនុញ្ញាតឲ្យភិក្ខុទទួលភេសជ្ជៈទាំង៥នោះ ក្នុងកាលគួរ បរិភោគក្នុងកាលគួរ។
So it is not so that this 5 tonics are pure medical means in modern sense, put simply support in nutrition. Yet at the same time not considered as stable food but very effective in supplying with substance.
One of cause needs to know circumstances when ones body is no more/not maintainable with just one meal.
Autumn disease, causing much trouble with the immune system, but also disease like Malaria, if such, and that is not seldom in South East Asia, especially when dwelling in forest and mountain area, such as appetite is very rare and if a person is practicing he furthermore has not much effort in regard of food and care.
It was for example surely up to this allowances and wise consideration of not at least Ven. Thanissaro, that lay people have been able to successfully maintain this body by supplying certain tonics.
Cheese, Ghee, Butter, Oil, Sugar:One needs to know that what ever is made from cow-milk in SEAsia is merely unknown and it's only the last years that people know products such as butter and chees, yet those are 100% import products in Cambodia.
Ghee is even in Europe and other countries outside of India merely unknown.
Modern/western people at large, have no real idea about food as simple nurishing the body, neither know starving nor being left to sickness without countless ways to act against it.
In regard of chees as an alternative to Ghee, there are many kinds of unreal chees, mostly from American food industry, using milk as additive. Such "fake"-chees is probably not proper. But what ever chees with high amount of fat and less special preparation, such as fungi and special additives, like chedar or certain mozarella might provide the spirit. Chees of this kind can be kept for a week without getting addled.
Effective is also sugar/palm sugar headed mixed with oil and can be stored a week also without problem.
There is also no reason at all why not using dark chocolate (without milk and other additives then oil and sugar) for this purpose.
Coffee, coffein, Energy-drinksEven in the Suttas (DN21...) such as the
Cola-nut can be found as standard support for ascetics, making various drinks... out of it as well, yet containing much more fat and coffein as coffee.
Certain energy-drinks are in many areas the only provider of certain Vitamins, sugar and tonic-means.
One has to know that living really on alms can be very single-edged. So one should not be scared in using such for tonic, not to speak about iso-tonic drinks.
It's a different life as that of monks using subway, marked and fastfood coupons and credit certificates, yet insulting others because they using money as well. That's all but hypocritical approaches of yuppies and to argue their particular work around on short commings which are mostly of actually grave faults.
Another supply in the "wrong time for eating" is to drink prepeared rest water from rice-cooking, if provided with such on the very same day. If, in cases that such is not avaliable, flour would be cooked in water, it might serve the same spirit.
Those topics around tonics and medicine can be food for endless discussions but if knowing the rules and red-string within them and if maintaining Sacca (truthfulness toward one self and intentions) there are really less grave problems with the many allowance given and again, one should not grow discouraged in regard of matters that touching health and basic health support to maintain this decaying body till it has done it's task well. And after this: may one also leave others the possibility to maintain such a lasting body further, in proper ways and how ever they may wish and think to keep it maintained.
It was not only one time that it is simply by wise, sometimes tricky consideration and effort of people with Saddha, that this body did not already serves as food for many others and is still compounded and serves for doing merits for others.
Real ascetic live has nothing to do with modern wellness approaches, diet-views and what ever modern monks and health, youth, life-drunken people develop on ideas, starting from vegetarian, vegan, wellness food, bio... the whole industry of identification. Yet, if such people who "i need" in various ways start to interpret, that it's simply an act of justify short-comings and to try to lift themselves out of real grave faults be belittling others. But that does not work. It's not possible to use others to step on them to leave ones hole one has fallen into.
And in regard of the money issue: as said, my person has not really come across maybe one or two people who really keep this precept. Sad but true... how ever, my person found those of them, now still incapable, who use it by themselves (and have to be ashamed all the time) more authentic and with possible better future, as those who rest on what ever hypocritical alternative or using others like kings to hold on such as certain gains or to maintain the feeling of control of own.
Now what does one think about a smarty, trying to teach elders, whole Nikayas and lives in such ways, with such desires... and really improper "connecting", livelihood...
Never the less as you can see things have been getting better. I can get a can of organic soup and a nonGMO health bar from The North Shore Pharmacy courtesy of the owner. I also have a new connection with the local Health Food store, but have not successfully tried it yet. If that works, I will be on the road to independence. Luckily my long time friend who lives on Aalona street prepares extra food for me as needed. Today I had some oats and a salad from him. It was not just a small salad either. It was a whole bowl to feed a family of five.
If I really need it, I have a Subway sandwich ticket waiting for me at the local Subway shop. I usually take one every two or three weeks when my friend is not available to give me oats and salads. They know me at the Subway shop and the ticket for a vegi-patty Sub is now waiting for me to claim it. The subs will soon be replaced by the generosity of the owners from the local health food store if communication is correct.
So I do get fed, and yes, sometimes quite well, but not from alms alone. It is not so easy though.
Again: The moderate mode of life of Noble Ones and those following them, has nothing to do with modern wellness-ideologies and hypocritical ideas to "feel good" and the different is possible only then understood when one really leaves home, really abounds all signs of householders and really lives in ways to maintain the body with given for just another day.
Beetle nutsMy person does not really know much on this subject and got just informed on one reason why elders often use it, a very simple and reasonable, to reduce pain caused by decaying teeth, something propably merely unknown in modern world and for those holding certain founds.
One should be clear that such as "going to the doctor" or even regulary checks... may just be common in very organised sociaties but for someone not living on any special dependency, it's merely very accidentally that ones body would be supplied by modern treatments.
Out of this my person would be careful judging especially elders when using such in total improper ways.