Tripitaka: does the sacred book of Buddhism has relation to plant ?

Pronamika Borah

Tipitaka is the sacred book of Buddhism. Thai-Tipitaka contains 45 treaties. These can be divided into 3 major parts on the basis of the subjects –Vinaya Pitaka (volume 1-8), Sutta Pitaka (volume 9-33), and Abhidhamma Pitaka (volume 34-45).

The Vinaya Pitaka contains treatises of established rules and ways that should be followed by the Buddhist monks. The Sutta Pitaka containes the Buddha discourses and the Abhidhamma Pitaka contain philosophical methodise of life.

In so many teachings and various passages of Tripitaka the material importance of the natural environment and plant is mentioned. An example from Jataka tales is when the bodhisattva as a tree-deva asks the brahmana who is sweeping at the trunk of a tree: ‘Brahman, you know that this tree possesses no mind; it cannot hear and has no feelings.

“The Buddha said: ‘Monks, I allow the use of medicinal roots—turmeric, ginger, sweet flag, arum, galangal, vetiver, nut grass, and other medicinal roots that are not considered food. When these medicines are offered they can be kept for one’s entire lifetime. If there is a necessity monks can consume these; if there is no necessity, there is a minor offense for consuming them’.”

Why then do you make the effort and continually ask it about sleeping happily?

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The Brahman replied: ‘Large trees only grow in remote, tranquil places, and they are the dwelling places of devas; because of the valuable natural resources I pay respects to this tree and its incumbent devas’.

The tree-deva confirmed these words by saying: ‘At the foot of a large Ficus tree growing in front of a persimmon that is surrounded by a fence and formerly honored by people there is a hidden treasure that belongs to no-one. Go and dig this treasure up’. Although this story resembles a fable and lacks substantiating evidence, it still could be true.

In Vinaya Piṭaka, (Mahavagga); it is mentioned the natural environment contains plants having medicinal properties also. On one occasion when the Buddha was residing at the Jeta Grove near Savatthi many of the monks came down with fever and required medicinal roots.

The Buddha said: ‘Monks, I allow the use of medicinal roots—turmeric, ginger, sweet flag, arum, galangal, vetiver, nut grass, and other medicinal roots that are not considered food. When these medicines are offered they can be kept for one’s entire lifetime. If there is a necessity monks can consume these; if there is no necessity, there is a minor offense for consuming them’.

The Buddha allowed other natural medicines, for example oils like neem-oil, leaves like neem-leaves, and fruits like myrobalan.

In Vessantara’s hermitage by Mount Gadhamadana which was surrounded by abundant natural resources, both animate and inanimate, and produced a delightful environment conducive to mental well-being, Gandhamadana described about –

a) Fruits,

b) Flowers,

c) The Lotus pond with aquatic plants and animals

d) Four-legged creatures

Acoording to Dvadasaviharaṇa Sutra , “there are 6400 species of fish in Jambudīpa, 4500 species of birds and 2400 species of beasts. There are 10000 species of trees, 8000 species of grass, 740 types of medicinal herbs and 43 types of aromatic plants.”

People cleaned their teeth by chewing the twigs of particular trees. The Buddha spoke of the advantages of using such tooth sticks (dantakaṭṭha). Doing it reduces bad smelling of mouth while breathing out. Twigs of the Malastoma malabathicum and various other plants for this purpose had also been seen among the Tai-Khamtis.

In old Buddhist texts there is mention of forest, agriculture, flora and fauna of that time.

The natural beauty of world was a mostly used and popular theme in the Buddhist literature. The ‘Long Description of the Forest’ from the Vessantara Jātaka holds names of about a hundred plants and many animals.

In “Atthasālini” composed by Buddhaghosa in the Theravada Abhidharma tradition, it is mentioned, “all living being possesses a definite name.” The trees of the forest and the mountains are used for economic purposes by the people. Every tree is known by its name and as well the animals and other living also.

In Tipitaka, medicinal plants are found to be mentioned in the volume five of Vinaya Pitaka, in the chapter “The Mahavagga Khandhaka”. It teaches the monks to use medicine. They are named in Pali or the Magadhi language. Medicinal plants in Tipitaka were divided on the basis of plants parts used –

i) Mula (rhizomes or bulb),

ii) Panna (whole leaves),

iii) Phala (seeds and seedless fruits)

iv) Jatu (balsam, latex, gum resins, or resin) and

v) Kasava (extracted solution from any parts of plants)

Methods of using these medicinal plants were as devouring, dropping, inhaling, decontamination. Raw and dried plant parts, powder and paste made of various plant parts following prescribed dosage were used in the Buddha’s lifetime.

Water, ash water honey, butter, ghee, oil, and cane juice, honey, butter, ghee, oil, and cane juice, etc were added as secondary product to balance the taste of the solution or pastes. There were so many medicinal plants mentioned in Tipitaka. Laohareungpanya 2005 has identified 34 medicinal plants found in Tripitaka.

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