Jīvaka was the personal physician of the Buddha and the Indian King Bimbisāra. He lived in Rājagṛha, present-day Rajgir, Magadha.
Sometimes described as the “Medicine King” ,] he figures prominently in legendary accounts in Asia as a model healer, and is honoured as such by traditional healers in several Asian countries.
Accounts about Jīvaka can be found in Early Buddhist Texts in many textual traditions such as the Pāli and Mūlasarvāstivāda traditions, as well as later Buddhist discourses and devotional Avadāna texts. As he grew up, Jīvaka decided to travel to Takṣaśilā, to learn traditional medicine from a well-respected teacher.
The eighth chapter of the Mahavagga of the Vinaya Pitaka details the life of Jivaka. Mahavagga, is part of a larger Pali text on monastic rules. Mahavagga is the medical and earliest portion and was compiled in the earliest 4th century BC while the remainder of the Pali canon was completed three centuries later. The Mahāvagga is the first volume of the Theravādin Buddhist Khaṇḍhaka book. He was the best disciple of the physician Atreya, who possessed an unparalleled ability to read the pulse of a patient and was known for his ability to perform complex operations. Atreya was also a great master in the herbal department of the ancient Taxila academy. Today, Taxila is an important archaeological site in Punjab, Pakistan.
Jivaka completed his first seven years of learning under Atreya. Afterward, Jivaka would go on to heal countless dying and afflicted people, regardless of their socio-economic status or spiritual affiliation.
His medical feats gained him a reputation and he was quickly appointed as the personal physician of King Bimbisāra and the Buddha. As Jīvaka came more into contact with the Buddha, he became an important supporter of the religion and eventually founded the Jīvakarāma monastery.
In the texts, Jīvaka is depicted performing complicated medical procedures, including those that could be interpreted as brain surgery. Scholars are in debate to which extent these depictions have historical value. Regardless, Jīvaka is honoured throughout Asian history by Buddhists, and to some extent by healers outside of Buddhism, as a model physician and Buddhist saint. Several mediaeval medical texts and procedures in India and China are attributed to him. Up until the present day, Jīvaka is honoured by Indians and Thai as a patron of traditional medicine, and he has a central role in all ceremonies involving Thai traditional medicine. Furthermore, Jīvaka’s legendary persona has had an important role in helping to proselytise and legitimise Buddhism. Some of the details of Jīvaka’s accounts were adjusted to fit the local milieus in which they were passed on. The Jīvakarāma monastery was identified by the Chinese pilgrim Xuan Zang in the 7th century, and it was excavated in the 19th century. Presently, it is one of the oldest Buddhist monasteries with archaeological remains still in existence.

The Mahavagga also records that the Buddha suggested many kinds of medicines to cure diseases. It is obvious that Buddhist practice focuses on meditation, which stresses purification of mind. Yet the Buddha was also greatly concerned about physical health. Therefore, in Dhammapada 208, the Buddha is said to have taught: “Health is the highest gain.” From the life of Jivaka, we can see that he not only cared for the Buddha, but also expressed concern for the monastic community. While offering food will always generate merit when donated to sincere monastic practitioners, the nutritional qualities (or lack thereof) of such foods are also an important consideration factoring into the merit of the donation.

Parents: Father: Prince Abhaya
Mother: Amrapali
Alma Mater: Taksasila