SUTTA 55

[^573]: Jīvaka was the abandoned child of a courtesan. Discovered and raised by Prince Abhaya, he studied medicine at Takkasilā and was later appointed the personal physician of the Buddha. He became a streamenterer after hearing the Buddha teach the Dhamma.

[^574]: This passage states clearly and explicitly the regulations on meat-eating laid down by the Buddha for the Sangha. It will be noted that the Buddha does not require the bhikkhus to observe a vegetarian diet, but permits them to consume meat when they are confident that the animal has not been slaughtered especially to provide them with food. Such meat is called tikoțiparisuddha, "pure in three aspects," because it is not seen, heard, or suspected to come from an animal killed specifically for the bhikkhu. The lay Buddhist's precept of abstaining from the taking of life would prohibit him from killing for his food, but does not proscribe purchasing meat prepared from animals already dead. For more on this issue see Vin Mv Kh 6/i.237-38, and I.B. Horner, Early Buddhism and the Taking of Life, pp. 20-26.

[^575]: Here the Buddha shows that he does not merely abide in loving-kindness by suppressing his ill will with jhāna based on loving-kindness, as the divinity Brahmā does, but has eradicated the roots of ill will through his attainment of arahantship.

[^576]: Cruelty, discontent, and aversion (vihesā, arati, patigha) are the opposites of compassion, appreciative joy, and equanimity respectively.

[^577]: It is puzzling that Jivaka here declares himself a lay follower as if for the first time when he had already been established in stream-entry. Perhaps this formula was used as a means of reaffirming one's dedication to the Triple Gem and was not restricted to an initial profession of going for refuge.