Freedom from Disease Is the Foremost Good Fortune
One Buddhist teaching most people misinterpret
About 2500 years ago, a conversation took place between Gautama Buddha and a wanderer named Māgaṇḍiya. What is mentioned below is a brief representation of one of the key things they talked about.
Gautama Buddha:- “Freedom from disease is the foremost good fortune.”
Māgaṇḍiya the wanderer:- “It’s amazing master Gautama, The earlier wanderers in the lineage of our teachers have said the same thing.”
Gautama Buddha:- “Māgaṇḍiya, what exactly have your teachers meant by stating that?”
When the Buddha asked that question, Māgaṇḍiya the wanderer began to rub his own limbs with hands.
Māgaṇḍiya the wanderer:- This is that freedom from disease, master Gautama, for I am now free from disease, happy and nothing bothers me.”
(In here, Māgaṇḍiya means physical health)
Gautama Buddha:- “Māgaṇḍiya, this body is a disease, an abscess, misery, and an affliction. Yet you say, with the reference to this body: ‘This is freedom from disease,’ for you don’t have the noble vision with which you would know freedom from disease.”
Even if Buddhism was originated in India, for centuries my country Sri Lanka has been the pioneer of keeping the Theravada tradition intact which is the original form of Buddhism.
However, if a random Sri Lankan Buddhist were asked to define the title of this story, most of the time he or she would say that it refers to physical health. Usually, this happens because that person has never looked into the original text.
First of all, let me get one thing straight.
I’m not denying the importance of good physical health.
Also, in the Buddhist context, good physical health is considered an advantage when it comes to both secular and non-secular efforts.
In order to understand what the Buddha has sermonized, try understanding the vulnerability of our bodies. Because, in reality, our bodies are internally and externally exposed to numerous threats.
Just think of stuff like genetic disorders, cancers, viral infections, and motor accidents.
Despite the advancement of modern science, still a microbe can put an entire civilization under threat.
Given these circumstances, isn’t it absurd to think that freedom from physical issues is the foremost good fortune?
Buddhism also acknowledges the contribution of good physical health to better mental health. However, in the Buddhist context, physical health is not essential for someone who is trying to seek ultimate liberation aka nirvana.
In Buddhism, if used rightly, physical agony is also a pathway to salvation. In Buddhist history, there are details of many disciples who attained nirvana by contemplating the pain they were going through and the impermanence of all things material.
Also, there is a Buddhist meditation form called Vedanānupassanā that focuses on one’s feelings including both physical and mental pain.
So, long story short, when talked about freedom from disease, the Buddha always means being free from mental agony.
Also, another key thing you should notice here is, if framed the right way, something distressing like physical agony also can be used to fulfill our purpose.
