Vinaya Reference to Smoking

[Malcolm]

Topic split from here:

viewtopic.php?f=53&t=9638

《四分律》卷43：「爾時有比丘患風。醫教用煙。佛言聽用煙。」(CBETA, T22, no. 1428, p. 877, a12-13)

“At that time there was a bhikṣu suffering wind. The doctor instructed him to use 'smoking'. The Buddha said using 'smoking' was permissible.”

Interesting, since Hsuan Hua said in the comments on smoking provided in the link above that, " during that time when the Buddha was in the world no one knew how to smoke."

They knew how to smoke and clearly did. It was part of Ayurveda. Again, it wasn't tobacco, but probably opium or cannabis. Also, this was for medical reasons, not to get high.

No, niether cannabis or opium is intended here. Smoking a specific blend of medicinal herbs that are good for the lungs is mentioned as part of dinācarya (regular conduct) in the Caraka Saṃhita.

[Indrajala]

No, niether cannabis or opium is intended here. Smoking a specific blend of medicinal herbs that are good for the lungs is mentioned as part of dinācarya (regular conduct) in the Caraka Saṃhita.

I stand corrected. However, it doesn't specify specifically what the substance is to be smoked.

[Malcolm]

No, niether cannabis or opium is intended here. Smoking a specific blend of medicinal herbs that are good for the lungs is mentioned as part of dinācarya (regular conduct) in the Caraka Saṃhita.

I stand corrected. However, it doesn't specify specifically what the substance is to be smoked.

《四分律》卷43：「爾時有比丘患風。醫教用煙。佛言聽用煙。」(CBETA, T22, no. 1428, p. 877, a12-13)

“At that time there was a bhikṣu suffering wind. The doctor instructed him to use 'smoking'. The Buddha said using 'smoking' was permissible.”

Which Vinaya is this from. It is probably clear in the Tibetan.

[Indrajala]

Which Vinaya is this from. It is probably clear in the Tibetan.

Dharmagupta Vinaya, entitled Four Part Vinaya in Chinese.

[JKhedrup]

Could the "smoking" refer to moxibustion?

I can ask Geshe la about this maybe, if people are interested. I don't have Kunkyen Tsonawa's text with me at the moment, which is one of the more popular Vinaya commentaries. It would also take me a long time to find the relevant passage as the vocabulary is antiquated and quite tough, it is a rather early text.

[Indrajala]

Could the "smoking" refer to moxibustion?

I can ask Geshe la about this maybe, if people are interested. I don't have Kunkyen Tsonawa's text with me at the moment, which is one of the more popular Vinaya commentaries. It would also take me a long time to find the relevant passage as the vocabulary is antiquated and quite tough, it is a rather early text.

Don't burden yourself, but if he knows anything about this it'd be useful.

I'm looking through the Chinese canon right now for similar references.

[Indrajala]

There is this from the Mahīśāsaka Vinaya:

《彌沙塞部和醯五分律》卷26：「舍利弗患風波斯匿王語言。應以乾蝦蟇薰鼻。不敢用。佛言。聽用。」(CBETA, T22, no. 1421, p. 176, c1-3)

Śāriputra was suffering wind. King Prasenajit said, "You should with fumigate the nose with dried toad(?)." He dare not use it. The Buddha said, "It is permitted to be used."

蝦蟇 is also defined as a kind of walnut or peach kernel, which is what the dictionary gives, though its usage usually seems to refer to a toad.

There's also another reference which refers to the medicine being made from herbs and formed into a ball to be smoked in a pipe, which the Buddha specifies as being neither too short nor too long.