Jivaka Kamarabhacca

‘Jivaka Kamarabhacca was a notable physician during the Buddha’s time. He was the court physician of King Bimbisara and also personal physician of the Buddha. He attained Sotapanna and buit a monastery name Javakan-bavana.
He was declased by the Buddha chief among his lay followers loved by the people.”Jivaka Kamarabhacca was the most important physician in the Buddha’s time.

He was the son of Salavati, a courtesan of Rajagaha. When we was born, he was placed in a basket and thrown in to a garbage heap, wherefrom he was rescued by Prince Abhaya who was passing the place. The child was called Javak because he was found alive and Komarabhacca, because we was brought up by the prince.

When Javaka grew up, he was advise to go to study at Takkasila, the very ancient and famous city, which has already earned a great reputation as the seat of medical science. He left Rajagaha for seven years to finish the course of training in medicine. His teacher, sent him home with little money. On his way home, he has made his name and good earning when he treated and cured his first patient who was the millionaire’s wife at Saket city. He received first payment for his medical profession about sixteen thousand Kahapana. ( one Kahapan is equivalent of four bath, including a man-servant, a maid-servant and a coach together with horses.
When he arrived in Rajagaha, Prince Abhaya established ihm in his own palace. There he cured King Bimbisara of troublesome fistula and received as reward all the ornaments of Bimbisara’s queens. He was appointed as a Royal doctor to attend to the king and the king’s consorts and also to the fraternity of monks with the Buddha at its head.

At the time Candappajjota, King of Ujjeni city, has been ill of unknown sickness for many years. When he learned about the reputation of Javaka, he borrowed the doctor from King Bimbasara.

It was said that Candappajjota hated ghee, which happended to be the only ingredient need for the remedy of the sickness. Doctor Jivaka wisely prepared the medicine mixed with ghee. After he prescribed how to use it to the King, he rode away on the king