Nanavira Thera on health

 I notice that at the top of the hospital notepaper there is the motto 'Ārogya paramā lābhā'. Everybody naturally takes this to mean that bodily health is the highest gain, and it might seem to be a most appropriate motto for a hospital. But perhaps you would be interested to know what the Buddha has to say about it. The following passage is from Majjhima Nikāya Sutta 75 (M.i,508-10, in which the simile of the leper who scratches and roasts himself also appears). The Buddha is talking to Māgandiya, a Wanderer (paribbājaka—follower of a certain traditional school of teaching):

Then the Auspicious One (Bhagavā) uttered these lines:

—Good health is the highest gain,
nibbāna is the highest pleasure,
and the eight-factored path is the one
that is peaceful and leads to the deathless.

(Ārogya paramā lābhā nibbānam paramam sukham,
Atthangiko ca maggānam khemam amatagāminan ti.)

When this was said, the Wanderer Māgandiya said to the Auspicious One:—It is wonderful, Master Gotama, it is marvellous, Master Gotama, how well said it is by Master Gotama 'Good health is the highest gain, nibbāna is the highest pleasure'. I, too, Master Gotama, have heard this saying handed down from teacher to pupil by Wanderers of old 'Good health is the highest gain, nibbāna is the highest pleasure'. And Master Gotama agrees with this.

—But in this saying that you have heard, Māgandiya, handed down from teacher to pupil by Wanderers of old 'Good health is the highest gain, nibbāna is the highest pleasure', what is that good health, what is that nibbāna?

When this was said, the Wanderer Māgandiya stroked his own limbs with his hand.—This, Master Gotama, is that good health, this is that nibbāna. At present, Master Gotama, I am in good health and have pleasure; there is nothing that afflicts me.

—Suppose, Māgandiya, there was a man blind from birth, who could see no forms either dark or light, no blue forms, no yellow forms, no red forms, no crimson forms, who could see neither even nor uneven, who could see no stars, who could see neither sun nor moon. And suppose he were to hear a man who could see, saying 'What a fine thing is a white cloth that is beautiful to look at, clean and spotless!', and were then to go in search of such cloth. And suppose some man were to deceive him with a coarse cloth stained with grease and soot, saying 'Here good man is a white cloth for you that is beautiful to look at, clean and spotless'. And suppose he were to accept it and put it on, and being pleased were to utter words of pleasure 'What a fine thing is a white cloth that is beautiful to look at, clean and spotless!'—What do you think, Māgandiya, would that man blind from birth have accepted that coarse cloth stained with grease and soot and have put it on, and being pleased would he have uttered words of pleasure 'What a fine thing is a white cloth that is beautiful to look at, clean and spotless!' because he himself knew and saw this, or out of trust in the words of the man who could see?

—Certainly, Master Gotama, that man blind from birth would have accepted that coarse cloth stained with grease and soot and put it on, and being pleased would have uttered words of pleasure 'What a fine thing is a white cloth that is beautiful to look at, clean and spotless!' without himself knowing and seeing this, but out of trust in the words of the man who could see.

—Just so, Māgandiya, sectarian Wanderers are blind and sightless, and without knowing good health, without seeing nibbāna, they still speak the line 'Good health is the highest gain, nibbāna is the highest pleasure.' These lines, Māgandiya, 'Good health is the highest gain, nibbāna is the highest pleasure, and the eight-factored path is the one that is peaceful and leads to the deathless' were spoken by Arahat Fully Awakened Ones (sammāsambuddhā) of old; but now in the course of time they have been adopted by commoners (puthujjanā).  This body, Māgandiya, is a disease, ulcere, wounded, painful, sick. And you say of this body that is diseased, ulcered, wounded, painful, sick, 'This, Master Gotama, is that good health, this is that nibbāna.'You, Māgandiya, do not have that noble eye (ariyacakkhu) with which to know good health and to see nibbāna.

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