[130] Now at that time the wife of a merchant (seṭṭhi) in Sāketa had suffered from an ailment of the head for seven years. Many very great physicians, renowned throughout the regions (disāpāmokkha), came and treated her, but they were unable to make her well; they took much gold and departed. Then Jīvaka Komārabhacca, having entered Sāketa, asked the people: "Who, good sirs, is sick? Whom may I treat?" "Teacher, the wife of that merchant has had an ailment of the head for seven years. Go, teacher, treat the merchant's wife." Then Jīvaka Komārabhacca went to the dwelling of the merchant householder; having arrived, he instructed the doorkeeper: "Go, good doorkeeper, announce to the merchant's wife: 'Madam, a physician has come; he wishes to see you.'" "Very well, teacher," the doorkeeper assented to Jīvaka Komārabhacca; he went to the merchant's wife and said this to her: "Madam, a physician has come; he wishes to see you."
"What is the physician like, good doorkeeper?"
"He is a young man, madam."
"Enough, good doorkeeper. What will a young physician do for me? Many very great physicians, renowned throughout the regions, came and treated me, but they were unable to make me well; they took much gold and departed."
Then that doorkeeper went to Jīvaka Komārabhacca and said this to him: "Teacher, the merchant's wife said this: 'Enough, good doorkeeper. What will a young physician do for me? Many very great physicians, renowned throughout the regions, came and treated me, but they were unable to make me well; they took much gold and departed.'"
"Go, good doorkeeper, announce to the merchant's wife: 'Madam, the physician says this: Do not, madam, give anything beforehand; when you have become well, then you may give whatever you wish.'" "Very well, teacher," the doorkeeper assented to Jīvaka Komārabhacca; he went to the merchant's wife and said this to her: "Madam, the physician says this: 'Do not, madam, give anything beforehand; when you have become well, then you may give whatever you wish.'"
"In that case, good doorkeeper, let the physician come."
"Very well, madam," the doorkeeper assented to the merchant's wife; he went to Jīvaka Komārabhacca and said this to him: "Teacher, the merchant's wife summons you."
Then Jīvaka Komārabhacca went to the merchant's wife; having approached and observed her condition, he said this to the merchant's wife: "Madam, I have need of a handful (pasata) of ghee." Then the merchant's wife had a handful of ghee given to Jīvaka Komārabhacca. Then Jīvaka Komārabhacca, having boiled down that handful of ghee together with various medicines, had the merchant's wife lie on her back on a couch and administered it through the nose. Then that ghee, given through the nose, came up out of the mouth. Then the merchant's wife, having spat it out into a spittoon, ordered a maidservant: "Come, girl, take up this ghee with a wad of cotton."
Then it occurred to Jīvaka Komārabhacca: "It is astonishing indeed, sirs, how frugal this housewife is, in that she has this ghee, fit only to be thrown away, taken up with cotton! And many very costly medicines of mine have gone into this. What fee will this woman give me at all?"
Then the merchant's wife, having observed the change in Jīvaka Komārabhacca's expression, said this to Jīvaka Komārabhacca: "Why, teacher, are you troubled in mind?"
"It occurred to me here: 'It is astonishing indeed, sirs, how frugal this housewife is, in that she has this ghee, fit only to be thrown away, taken up with cotton! And many very costly medicines of mine have gone into this. What fee will this woman give me at all?'"
"Teacher, we who are called householders know the value of such economy. This ghee is excellent as a foot-ointment for slaves or workmen, or for pouring into a lamp. Do not be troubled in mind, teacher; your fee will not be diminished."
Then Jīvaka Komārabhacca removed the merchant's wife's seven-year ailment of the head by a single treatment through the nose. Then the merchant's wife, being well, presented Jīvaka Komārabhacca with four thousand. Her son, thinking, "My mother stands cured," presented four thousand. Her daughter-in-law, thinking, "My mother-in-law stands cured," presented four thousand. The merchant householder, thinking, "My wife stands cured," presented four thousand and gave a male slave, a female slave, and a horse-carriage.
Then Jīvaka Komārabhacca, taking those sixteen thousand together with the male slave, the female slave, and the horse-carriage, set out for Rājagaha; in due course he arrived at Rājagaha and approached Prince Abhaya; having approached, he said this to Prince Abhaya: "Deva, this is my first professional work: sixteen thousand, a male slave, a female slave, and a horse-carriage. May the Deva accept from me the price of my rearing."
"Enough, good Jīvaka; let it be yours alone. And build yourself a dwelling in our inner palace."
"Very well, Deva," Jīvaka Komārabhacca assented to Prince Abhaya, and he built a dwelling in Prince Abhaya's inner palace.
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.