Fermented Urine: The Buddha's Medicine
compiled and annotated by Brother Promise
The Buddha recommended his disciples to use fermented urine as their go-to medicine.
Puti = fermented
Mutta = urine
Bhesajja = medicine
Putimuttabhesajja = Fermented urine as medicine
Though some commentators explained the Pali expression putimuttabhesajja to mean fermented cow's urine, nowhere is the word cow (gavi or go) mentioned in the original texts. Others have explained the word puti to mean "that which is repulsive" and implied that the Buddha recommended fresh urine therapy-- drinking one's own fresh urine "although it is repulsive". But puti clearly means fermented, putrid, decomposing. For instance the word "corpse" in Pali is putikaya, that is a rotten, decomposing body.
https://palidictionary.appspot.com/browse/p/p%C5%ABti
What follows are quotes of the Buddha from the Pali canon, the standard collection of early Buddhist scriptures.
Pūtimuttabhesajjaṁ nissāya pabbajjā tattha te yāvajīvaṁ ussāho karaṇīyo "Going-Forth has fermented urine medicine as its support. For the rest of your life you are to endeavor at that."
Mv.I.77.1
https://www.dhammatalks.org/vinaya/Mv/MvI.html
Note: "Going-Forth" here means becoming a Buddhist monk or nun.
The Buddha taught his monastic disciples to use fermented urine as their go-to medicine.
****
"Mendicants, these four trifles are easy to get hold of and are blameless. What four? Rag-robes … A lump of alms-food … Lodgings at the root of a tree … Fermented urine as medicine…"
Anguttara Nikaya 4.27
https://suttacentral.net/an4.27/en/sujato
****
“These four, bhikkhus, are trifling things, easily obtained and blameless. What four? A robe made of cast-off rags is a trifling thing, easily obtained and blameless. Food gathered on alms round is a trifling thing, easily obtained and blameless. The root of a tree as a dwelling place is a trifling thing, easily obtained and blameless. Medicine consisting of putrid urine is a trifling thing, easily obtained and blameless. These, bhikkhus, are the four trifling things, easily obtained and blameless. When a bhikkhu is content with these things that are trifling and easily obtained, I say of him that he has the requisites for recluseship.”
Itivuttaka 101
https://suttacentral.net/iti101/en/ireland
Note: "bhikkhus" means beggars / recluses / monks and nuns / monastic disciples of the Buddha.
****
"As you live contented your fermented urine as medicine will seem to you like various medicines—ghee, butter, oil, honey, molasses, and salt—seem to a householder or householder’s child. It will be for your enjoyment, relief, and comfort, and to reach [Nirvana]."
Anguttara Nikaya 8.30
https://suttacentral.net/an8.30/en/sujato
****
Now at that time a certain monk had jaundice. “I allow you, monks, to make him drink aged urine and yellow myrobalan.”
Theravada Vinayapitaka Khandhaka Mahavagga 6
https://suttacentral.net/pli-tv-kd6/en/horner-brahmali
Note: This medicine is known as the "Buddha's medicine" in Theravadan countries. In Pali:
putimuttabhesajjaharitaka. Puti=fermented. Mutta=urine. Bhesajja=medicine. Haritaka=haritaki,
terminalia chebula [see https://haritaki.org/haritaki-benefits/]
****
"Suppose there was some fermented urine mixed with different medicines. Then a man with jaundice would come along. They’d say to him: ‘Here, mister, this is fermented urine mixed with different medicines. Drink it if you like. If you drink it, the color, aroma, and flavor will be unappetizing, but after drinking it you will be happy.’ He wouldn’t reject it. After thinking, he’d drink it. The color, aroma, and flavor would be unappetizing, but after drinking it he would be happy."
Majjhima Nikaya 46
https://suttacentral.net/mn46/en/sujato
****
Anyone who makes use of
Leftovers for food,
Putrid urine as medicine,
The root of a tree as lodging,
And rags from the rubbish-heap as robes,
Is at home in any direction.
Theragatha 18.1
https://suttacentral.net/thag18.1/en/sujato-walton
Note: This passage is attributed to MahaKassapa, one of the Buddha's senior and most accomplished
disciples, who was known for his asceticism, health and longevity.