About 460 years B.C Hippocrates was born in the Isle of Cos
in Greece. He taught his pupils that illness was due to natural
causes, changes in the environment or weather or in the
human body and dispel the belief of that illness was caused
by anger of the Gods or evil spirits. The practice of charms
or magic healing was changed to a science. Hippocrates is
known as the “father of Medical science”. He taught his pupils
that a patient must be carefully and thoroughly examined in
order to diagnose his or her illness. Hippocrates as a teacher
of medicine introduced the code of moral conduct. Even after
centuries ‘Hippocratic oath’ is honored by the present day
doctors in all parts of the world.
Similarly, Lord Buddha long before Hippocrates (544-3 B.C)
2600 years ago in his discourse ‘Girimananda sutta” had
mentioned about 32 ailments that people could suffer, and
stressed the fact that diseases are caused due to natural
causes, changes in the environment, weather and human
body. By the by, he revealed that there is another special
cause of illness called “Kamma Vipakaja Abhada”, suffering
according to your evil deeds in previous births. Several
Dermatologic cases are given in these discourses.
Buddha is believed to have treated many people, disciples and civilians who suffered from various skin diseases .A Buddhist monk Tissa Thera suffered from an unsightly skin rash consisting of multiple boils/abscesses and sores. In a day or two He was isolated by other monks because of his stinging impure body. Abscess burst and he was immersed in a pool of pus, robes soaked in pus and blood. Load Buddha heard about him went to his closet and he held one side of his bed to take him out while other monks followed .They prepared hot water, bathed him and washed his dirty robes. His wounds were cleaned was grabbed with new robe. Thissa-Thera was relieved became liberated in an instant, attained Arahanhood and passed away never to born again in “Samsara”.
Buddhist philosophy is based on mind over the existing matter and is open to reason and critical analysis. “Karma” is believed to play a major role in the occurrence of some of the medical illnesses including skin diseases. Arahath Anuruddha (son of king Amithodana - a brother of Buddha’s farther king Sudddhodana) after attaining Arahathhood visited his home town Kapilavatthu at the Himalayan foothills in (modern) Nepal to see his relatives. An alms giving was arranged in his home. All other relatives including parents paid homage but her younger sister Rohini was not present there. So the Arahath inquired about her. He was informed that princess was suffering from an acute skin disease with wounds all over her body; hence she is feeling shy to come to face the thera. Arahath requested her to come out and advised her to build a Resting Hall for Bikkus and offer same to ‘Sangha’. She built a two storied Resting Hall. Buddha participated at the offering.
ceremony alms giving. Rohini was cured instantly after the arms giving ceremony. Lord Buddha preached a sermon and she attained Sothapapatti hood. Buddha linked her condition to anger and treated her by teaching her on how to control her emotions through controlling mind in a previous birth she had born as the queen of King Brahmadattha. She was envious of a beautiful subordinale princess and applied ‘Kasambiliya’ (Laportea interrupta) nuts on her bed. A rash erupted, her skin was full of wounds, suffered pain and her beauty vanished with scars all over her body. Rohini’s ‘Kamma vipakada abadha’ was thus explained by Buddha.
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