Cow Urine: The Buddha’s prescriptive medicine
Cow urine is one of the best medicines for any disease according to the Buddha’s prescription. In four requisites for the Buddhist monks, using cow urine is one of them. It explains by the preceptor to the new Buddhist monk who newly ordained into higher ordination. When the Preceptor explains the four requisites namely: dwelling place, robe, food, and medicine. Regarding the medicine, the Buddha taught to the Buddhist monk to use cow urine as a medicine for any kind of illness. However if the Buddhist monk has enough merit (
puñña), he can use the medicine like western medicine, homeopathic, herbal, Ayurvedic, and soon. In if there is nothing one should use cow urine.
During the higher ordination the ITBMU Rector Sayadaw ven.Nanadamālābhivamsa advises to the candidate, cow urine is free of charge thus, it is easy to use for curing any disease. He further stated Ayurvedic also found that cow urine is very beneficial for any kind of illness.
It would be relevant to mention here the two anecdotes. Once I went to Pa-Auk meditation centre in Mawlemyine a friend of mine from Italy wanted to drink coffee. When he poured the cow urine, he knew it was not coffee. But he is not very sure what that was. Some of the monks there, they use it as a medicine the cow urine. Then, he called me and asked what that was? Later I inquired from a Myanmar monk, he told me as ‘Nwa-si’. I got the meaning ‘nwa’ but not ‘si’. Finally, I translated as ‘cow product’. Then he shouted ‘oh! it should be ‘cow urine’. After that I could not see him, due to feeling laugh by remembering the translation of cow urine as cow product.
On the other occasion, a monk was making a humor on ‘cow urine’. In a monastery there was a young kappiya karaka. Before describing the story let’s have a look in Myanmar language on Na’ma. Na’ma is the short for ‘Nei’ma’ and ‘Nwa-ma’ when they speak quickly. Then what happened the monk asked ‘Na’ma si’ from the Kappiya. The kappiya thought Bhante is asking the urine of my sister thus, he approached to his sister and asked for that his sayadaw needed. His sister also could not deny and gave him. After using the urine, the monk said why today urine is different from the former ones.
The later event was in the meditation centres and monasteries can be seen that cow urine is fermented with a kind of dry fruit called ‘Panka Thee’ more like spices of myroblam. That fruit can use any time by the Buddhist monk and novices or others who observe the eight precepts. And even the traditional medicine mixed with cow urine in Myanmar.
Due to Buddha’s prescription, in Myanmar it is called Buddha’s medicine (paya sei). Sometime it cures serious diseases. One of my friends encouraged me to take medicine mixed with cow urine but I cannot bear the smell. Most of them those who used it they got the benefit thus, they strongly recommend to use it.
The reason why Lord Buddha gave to the Buddhist monk would be due to it easy accessibility. In other word, the Buddhist monk can use it without bothering to the lay devotee otherwise have to ask from the supporters for other kinds of medicine.
Lord Buddha also allowed in the monastic rules Buddhist monk can use it without offering it. Because other than toothpaste, water and earth, cow urine, there is a pācittiya offense for using without offering it for the monk.
It is due to the perception in our mind as dirty we cannot use it. However, it is just the earth or water, heat, smell, nutritive essence from the Abhidhamma point of view. If fact, medicine is not for enjoyment or tasty but it is for the sole purpose of relieving from disease.
Due to Buddha’s prescription and effective for curing disease, cow urine is called as Buddha’s medicine. Those who cannot cure with any kind of medicine, one should try use it.
https://ariyajoti.wordpress.com/2014/09/02/cow-urine-the-buddhas-prescriptive-medicine/