[134] Now at that time King Pajjota in Ujjenī was afflicted with jaundice (paṇḍuroga). Many great physicians of wide renown, chiefs of their regions, came and treated him but were unable to make him well, and they departed having taken away much gold. Then King Pajjota sent a messenger to the presence of King Seniya Bimbisāra of Magadha: "Sire, I have an affliction of such a kind. It would be good if Your Majesty would command the physician Jīvaka; he will treat me." Then King Seniya Bimbisāra of Magadha commanded Jīvaka Komārabhacca: "Go, good Jīvaka; having gone to Ujjenī, treat King Pajjota." "Yes, sire," Jīvaka Komārabhacca replied to King Seniya Bimbisāra of Magadha, and having gone to Ujjenī he approached King Pajjota; having approached and observed King Pajjota's abnormal condition, he said this to King Pajjota: "Sire, I shall decoct ghee; Your Majesty will drink it."
"Enough, good Jīvaka! Whatever you can do to make me well without ghee, do that. Ghee is loathsome to me, repulsive."
Then it occurred to Jīvaka Komārabhacca: "This king's affliction is of such a kind that I cannot make him well without ghee. Suppose I were to decoct ghee having the colour of an astringent decoction, the smell of an astringent decoction, the taste of an astringent decoction." Then Jīvaka Komārabhacca decocted ghee with various medicines, having the colour of an astringent decoction, the smell of an astringent decoction, the taste of an astringent decoction. Then it occurred to Jīvaka Komārabhacca: "When the ghee drunk by this king is being digested, it will produce belching. This king is fierce; he might even have me killed. Suppose I were to take leave in advance." Then Jīvaka Komārabhacca approached King Pajjota; having approached, he said this to King Pajjota: "Sire, we who are physicians pull up roots and gather medicines at such-and-such a moment. It would be good if Your Majesty would give orders at the stables of the mounts and at the gates: 'Let Jīvaka go by whatever mount he wishes; let him go by whatever gate he wishes; let him go at whatever time he wishes; let him enter at whatever time he wishes.'" Then King Pajjota gave orders at the stables of the mounts and at the gates: "Let Jīvaka go by whatever mount he wishes; let him go by whatever gate he wishes; let him go at whatever time he wishes; let him enter at whatever time he wishes."
Now at that time King Pajjota had a she-elephant named Bhaddavatikā, capable of fifty yojanas. Then Jīvaka Komārabhacca presented that ghee to King Pajjota: "Let Your Majesty drink the astringent decoction." Then Jīvaka Komārabhacca, having made King Pajjota drink the ghee, went to the elephant stable and fled from the city on the she-elephant Bhaddavatikā. Then, as that ghee drunk by King Pajjota was being digested, it produced belching. Then King Pajjota said this to his men: "I have been made to drink ghee, sirs, by the wicked Jīvaka! Therefore, sirs, search for the physician Jīvaka." "Sire, he has fled from the city on the she-elephant Bhaddavatikā."
Now at that time King Pajjota had a slave named Kāka, capable of sixty yojanas, born of a non-human father. Then King Pajjota commanded the slave Kāka: "Go, good Kāka, turn back the physician Jīvaka, saying: 'Teacher, the king has you turned back.' But these physicians, good Kāka, are full of tricks; do not accept anything from him." Then the slave Kāka caught up with Jīvaka Komārabhacca on the way, at Kosambī, as he was taking his morning meal. Then the slave Kāka said this to Jīvaka Komārabhacca: "Teacher, the king has you turned back."
"Wait, good Kāka, until I have eaten. Come, good Kāka, eat."
"Enough, teacher. I have been commanded by the king: 'These physicians, good Kāka, are full of tricks; do not accept anything from him.'"
Now at that time Jīvaka Komārabhacca, having scraped up a medicine with his fingernail, was eating an emblic myrobalan (āmalaka) and drinking water. Then Jīvaka Komārabhacca said this to the slave Kāka: "Come, good Kāka, eat some emblic myrobalan and drink some water." Then the slave Kāka, thinking, "This physician is himself eating emblic myrobalan and drinking water; there cannot be anything harmful," ate half an emblic myrobalan and drank water. That half emblic myrobalan which he had eaten purged him right there. Then the slave Kāka said this to Jīvaka Komārabhacca: "Teacher, is my life to be spared?"
"Do not fear, good Kāka. You will be well; but the king is fierce — that king might even have me killed; therefore I am not turning back." Having handed over the she-elephant Bhaddavatikā to Kāka, he set out for Rājagaha; travelling in stages he reached Rājagaha and approached King Seniya Bimbisāra of Magadha; having approached, he informed King Seniya Bimbisāra of Magadha of this matter. "You did well, good Jīvaka, in that you did not turn back; that king is fierce — he might even have had you killed."
Then King Pajjota, having become well, sent a messenger to Jīvaka Komārabhacca's presence: "Let Jīvaka come; I will grant him a boon." "Enough, sire; let Your Majesty remember my service."
Now at that time there had come to King Pajjota a pair of Sivi cloths — the chief, the best, the foremost, the highest, and the most excellent of many cloths, of many pairs of cloths, of many hundreds of pairs of cloths, of many thousands of pairs of cloths, of many hundreds of thousands of pairs of cloths. Then King Pajjota sent that pair of Sivi cloths to Jīvaka Komārabhacca. Then it occurred to Jīvaka Komārabhacca: "This pair of Sivi cloths sent to me by King Pajjota is the chief, the best, the foremost, the highest, and the most excellent of many cloths, of many pairs of cloths, of many hundreds of pairs of cloths, of many thousands of pairs of cloths, of many hundreds of thousands of pairs of cloths. No one else is worthy to use it except the Blessed One, the Arahant, the Perfectly Awakened One, or King Seniya Bimbisāra of Magadha."
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.