“Noble goddess, in the past, in a time gone by—an inconceivable, vast number, more innumerable than an asaṃkhyeya of eons ago—at that time, in that time, the tathāgata arhat samyak­saṃbuddha, the one with wisdom and virtuous conduct, the sugata, the one who knows the world’s beings, the unsurpassable guide who tames beings, the teacher of devas and humans, the buddha, the bhagavat by the name of Ratnaśikhin appeared in the world.

“Noble goddess, at that time, in that time, after the Tathāgata Arhat samyak­saṃbuddha Ratnaśikhin had passed into nirvāṇa and the Dharma had vanished and there was just the outer appearance of the Dharma, there was King Sureśvara­prabha, who followed the Dharma, who was a Dharma king, who ruled the kingdom through the Dharma and not through that which was not the Dharma, and who was like a father and mother to the beings who dwelled there.

“Noble goddess, at that time, in that time, in the kingdom of King Sureśvara­prabha, there was a head merchant by the name of Jaṭiṃdhara. He was a doctor, a physician, perfectly skilled in the humors, and was endowed with all eight branches of the Āyurveda tradition.

“O noble goddess, at that time, in that time, the head merchant Jaṭiṃdhara had a son named Jalavāhana, who had an excellent body; was attractive and handsome; had a perfect, well-developed, excellent complexion; was learned in various treatises; had the understanding of all treatises; and was perfectly trained in letters, numbers, finger-counting, and calculations.

“Noble goddess, at that time, in that time, many hundreds of thousands of beings living in the kingdom of King Sureśvara­prabha were afflicted by various illnesses, tormented by various illnesses, and were experiencing severe, terrible, unendurable, unpleasant sensations of suffering.

“Noble goddess, at that time, in that time, there arose in Jalavāhana, the head merchant’s son, great compassion for those many hundreds of thousands of beings who were afflicted by various illnesses and tormented by various illnesses. He thought, ‘Those beings are experiencing severe, terrible, unendurable, unpleasant sensations of suffering, and my father, this head merchant Jaṭiṃdhara, who is a doctor, a physician, perfectly skilled in the humors, and endowed with all eight branches of the Āyurveda tradition, has become old, decrepit, and feeble. He has reached an advanced age, walks leaning on a stick, and is unable to go to the villages, the towns, the market towns, the countryside, the realm, or the royal capital. Therefore, in order to free those many hundreds of thousands of beings from the afflictions of various illnesses and the torments of various illnesses, I will go to my father, Jaṭiṃdhara, and question him so as to become skilled in the humors in order to heal illness. Having questioned him so as to become skilled in the humors, I will go to the villages, towns, market towns, countryside, realm, and royal capital. When I go there, I will free the many hundreds of thousands of beings from illness.’

“Noble goddess, at that time, in that time, Jalavāhana, the head merchant’s son, went to his father, Jaṭiṃdhara, and having come to him, he bowed down his head in homage at his father’s feet, and with his palms together he sat to one side. When he had seated himself to one side, Jalavāhana, the head merchant’s son, recited these verses to his father, Jaṭiṃdhara, questioning him about skill in the humors:

“ ‘How are physical powers destroyed And how do the humors change? At what times do illnesses Arise within physical beings?

“ ‘What foods should be eaten or not At different times for health, So that within someone’s body The body’s heat will not be harmed?

“ ‘What are the medical practices For healing the illnesses That arise from air, from bile, From phlegm, and from their combination?

“ ‘During which times does the air move, During which times does the bile move, And during which times does the phlegm move, Through which there will be harm to humans?’

“Then the head merchant, Jaṭiṃdhara, taught his son Jalavāhana skill in the humors by reciting these verses:

“ ‘Know three months to be summer and three months the autumn, And there are three that are winter and three that are spring. Similarly, there are said to be six seasons, And there are twelve months in one year.

“ ‘Know that the months are divided into threes, And that pairs of months are taught. Food and drink are digested accordingly. Thus the physicians teach humors and time.

“ ‘The faculties and the humors Are in groups within each year. It is when the faculties transform That various illnesses arise in beings.

“ ‘Know that the physician must be skilled In the groups of three and four months, The six times and the six humors, And the food, drink, and medicines that correspond.

“ ‘Illness that is primarily air arises in the summer. That which arises in the autumn is the movement of bile. Similarly, during the time of winter it is the aggregation, And illness that is primarily phlegm arises in spring.

“ ‘In summer: oily, warm, salty, and sour tastes; In autumn: the sweet, the oily, and the cool; In winter: the sweet, the oily, and the sour; And in the time of spring, the astringent, pungent, and bitter.

“ ‘That which is primarily phlegm arises immediately after eating. That which is primarily bile arises during digestion. That which is primarily air arises immediately after digestion. That which is the movement of all three humors is like that.

“ ‘That which has the nature of air is healed by nutrition. Laxative medicines are what dispel bile illness. Aggregate illnesses will accord with all three. For the class of phlegm, give emetic medicines.

“ ‘Know the groups that are primarily Air, bile, aggregation, or phlegm. Rely upon the medicines, food, and drink For whichever time, humor, and body.’

“Jalavāhana, the head merchant’s son, through just this inquiry into skill in the humors became learned in all the eight branches of the Āyurveda.

“Noble goddess, at that time, in that time, Jalavāhana, the head merchant’s son, went throughout all the villages, towns, market towns, countryside, realm, and the royal capital in the kingdom of King Sureśvara­prabha, and he said, ‘I will be a doctor for you many hundreds of thousands of beings who are afflicted by various illnesses and tormented by various illnesses. I promise to be your doctor, and I will free you from your various illnesses and bring you relief.’

“Noble goddess, when all those many hundreds of thousands of beings heard those words spoken by Jalavāhana, the head merchant’s son, they immediately felt great joy. They found relief and had inconceivable joy, happiness, and delight.

“At that time, in that time, those many hundreds of thousands of beings who were afflicted by various illnesses and tormented by various illnesses were completely freed from their illness and became healthy. When they became healthy, they had the same power, strength, and vigor as before.

“At that time, in that time, all those who were afflicted with severe illnesses among the many hundreds of thousands of beings that were afflicted by various illnesses and tormented by various illnesses went to Jalavāhana, the head merchant’s son. Jalavāhana, the head merchant’s son, cured all those beings of all their illnesses by using whatever medical treatments he had given the many hundreds of thousands of beings that were afflicted by various illnesses and tormented by various illnesses. They became free of illness, or their illness was diminished and they became healthy, and they had the same power, strength, and vigor as before.

“Noble goddess, at that time, in that time, Jalavāhana, the head merchant’s son, freed from their various illnesses the many hundreds of thousands of beings who were afflicted by various illnesses and tormented by various illnesses throughout all the villages, towns, market towns, countryside, realm, and the royal capital in the kingdom of King Sureśvara­prabha.”