..续本文上一页siting doctor said, “Although the king may pledge all of his body, surely I cannot presume to have so much to seek it. But, now, I do have this goal. It is the hope that the king would promulgate to all within the kingdom that from now on they should not continue to get the medicines of that former doctor. And why is that

　　 It is because those medicines are poisonous and harmful, causing many pains and injuries. If any administer them, they should be beheaded. Never again should there be people who fall to such unnatural deaths. It is in order for them to constantly abide in peaceful happiness that I seek this wish.”

　　"Then the king replied, “That search of yours is, indeed, insufficiently voiced.

　　I shall quickly promulgate the decree to all within the kingdom that people with common illnesses shall not be treated with those medicines. If any use the medicines, they shall be beheaded.”

　　"At that time, the visiting doctor combined together many medicines, said to be acrid, bitter, salty, sweet, and sour in flavor, with which a myriad illnesses are cured, none failing to bring recovery. Not long after this, the king contracted an illness. He thereupon commanded the doctor, saying, “I am now ill and am suffering. What shall cure me

　　” The doctor pined what medicinal elixir should be used for the king”s illness and immediately said to him, “As to the king”s suffering, you must drink this elixir. When I had formerly ended others from drinking medicines, I was not speaking truely. Now, if one drinks, it verily can remove your illness. Being that the king is now suffering and feverish, it is correct that he should drink this elixir.”

　　"Thereupon, the king said to the doctor, “Are you crazy

　　 For this feverish illness you now say that drinking an elixir can remove this illness

　　 Before, you said that it was poisonous. How can you now tell me to drink

　　 Do you wish to decieve me

　　 You said that [the medicine] of that former doctor who had been praised was poisonous and lead me to chase him away. Now you say that it is excellent, verily able to remove illness. I myself established his defeat by you.”

　　"Then the visiting doctor again said to the king, “The king should not say such things. Just as an insect eats wood until it is completely nourished and does not know that it is nourished or not nourished. The wise one sees it stop and does not claim that the insect understands that it is nourished, nor is he surprised by it. The great king should know that that former doctor was also so. He did not distinguish betweeen illnesses and treated them all with [the same] medicinal elixir, just as that insect”s path is by chance until it is completely nourished. The former doctor did not understand the medicinal elixirs that were excellent, detestable, good, or bad.”

　　"The king then asked, “What did he not understand

　　”

　　"The visiting doctor replied, “The medicinal elixirs as well as the harmful poisons. And also the sweet nectar. How is the elixir also called a sweet nectar

　　 If a mother cow does not eat wine dregs, loose grass, or barley, its calf will not tame well. In the place that it is set to pasture it will not stay above the fields and also not go down to the marsh to drink clear water. It will not be herded along and will not accompany the lead animal together with a single herd. Being domesticated in its eating and drinking, it goes on to travel and abide in the place it is given. Thus is this elixir able to remove illnesses. Therefore, it is called the wondrous medicine of sweet nectar. Excepting this elixir, the rest are all called harmful poisons.”

　　"At that time, the great king, having heard this, gave praise, saying, “Excellent, great doctor, excellent! From this day, I have begun to know the medicinal elixirs that are good and bad, excelle…

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