3.
The Chapter on the Sick
1.
The Discourse on the Sick
121. On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Vesālī in the Great Wood in the Pinnacled Hall. Then the Blessed One, in the evening, having emerged from seclusion, went to the sick hall. The Blessed One saw a certain monk who was weak and ill; having seen him, he sat down on the prepared seat. Having sat down, the Blessed One addressed the monks:
"Whatever monk, monks, who is weak and ill, five qualities do not abandon, for that one this is to be expected - 'Before long, with the elimination of the mental corruptions, in this very life, having realised by direct knowledge himself, having attained, he will dwell in the liberation of mind and liberation by wisdom that are without mental corruptions.'"
Which five? Here, monks, a monk dwells observing foulness in the body, perceiving repulsiveness in food, perceiving discontent in the whole world, observing impermanence in all activities, and the perception of death is well established internally for him. Whatever monk, monks, who is weak and ill, these five qualities do not abandon, for that one this is to be expected - 'Before long, with the elimination of the mental corruptions, etc. having realised, having attained, he will dwell.'" The first.
2.
The Discourse on Well-Established Mindfulness
122. "Whoever indeed, monks, whether monk or nun, develops five qualities, cultivates five qualities, for that one, one of two fruits is to be expected - final liberating knowledge in this very life; or, if there is a residue of clinging, non-returning.
Which five? Here, monks, for a monk, mindfulness is well established internally with wisdom that discerns rise and fall of phenomena, he dwells observing foulness in the body, perceiving repulsiveness in food, perceiving discontent in the whole world, observing impermanence in all activities. Whoever indeed, monks, whether monk or nun, develops these five qualities, cultivates these five qualities, for that one, one of two fruits is to be expected - final liberating knowledge in this very life; or, if there is a residue of clinging, non-returning." The second.
3.
The First Discourse on the Attendant
123. "Monks, a sick person possessed of five qualities is difficult to attend to. Which five? He does what is not suitable, he does not know moderation in what is suitable, he does not take medicine, he does not reveal his illness as it really is to the attendant of the sick who wishes his welfare - whether it is progressing, he says 'it is progressing', or whether it is regressing, he says 'it is regressing', or whether it is stable, he says 'it is stable' - and he is one who by nature does not endure arisen bodily feelings that are painful, sharp, rough, severe, disagreeable, unpleasant, and life-threatening. Monks, a sick person possessed of these five qualities is difficult to attend to.
"Monks, a sick person possessed of five qualities is easy to attend to. Which five? He does what is suitable, he knows moderation in what is suitable, he takes medicine, he reveals his illness as it really is to the attendant of the sick who wishes his welfare - whether it is progressing, he says 'it is progressing', or whether it is regressing, he says 'it is regressing', or whether it is stable, he says 'it is stable' - and he is one who by nature endures arisen bodily feelings that are painful, sharp, rough, severe, disagreeable, unpleasant, and life-threatening. Monks, a sick person possessed of these five qualities is easy to attend to." The third.
4.
The Second Discourse on the Attendant
124. "Monks, an attendant of the sick possessed of five qualities is not fit to attend the sick. Which five? He is not competent to arrange medicine; he does not know what is suitable and what is unsuitable, he brings what is unsuitable, he removes what is suitable; he attends the sick with material gain within, not with a mind of friendliness; he is one who detests removing excrement or urine or vomit or spittle; he is not competent to instruct, encourage, inspire, and gladden the sick from time to time with a talk on the Teaching. Monks, an attendant of the sick possessed of these five qualities is not fit to attend the sick.
"Monks, an attendant of the sick possessed of five qualities is fit to attend the sick. Which five? He is competent to arrange medicine; he knows what is suitable and what is unsuitable, he removes what is unsuitable, he brings what is suitable; he attends the sick with a mind of friendliness, not with material gain within; he is one who does not detest removing excrement or urine or vomit or spittle; he is competent to instruct, encourage, inspire, and gladden the sick from time to time with a talk on the Teaching. Monks, an attendant of the sick possessed of these five qualities is fit to attend the sick." The fourth.
5.
The First Discourse on What Does Not Conduce to Long Life
125. "Monks, these five qualities are detrimental to life. Which five? One does what is not suitable, one does not know moderation in what is suitable, one eats undigested food, one walks about at improper times, and one is not a practitioner of the holy life. These, monks, are the five qualities detrimental to life.
"Monks, these five qualities are conducive to life. Which five? One does what is suitable, one knows moderation in what is suitable, one eats digested food, one walks about at proper times, and one is a practitioner of the holy life. These, monks, are the five qualities conducive to life." The fifth.
6.
The Second Discourse on What Does Not Conduce to Long Life
126. "Monks, these five qualities are detrimental to life. Which five? One does what is not suitable, one does not know moderation in what is suitable, one eats undigested food, one is immoral, and one has evil friends. These, monks, are the five qualities detrimental to life.
"Monks, these five qualities are conducive to life. Which five? One does what is suitable, one knows moderation in what is suitable, one eats digested food, one is moral, and one has good friends. These, monks, are the five qualities conducive to life." The sixth.
7.
The Discourse on Vapakāsa
127. "Monks, a monk possessed of five qualities is not able to withdraw from the monastic community. Which five? Here, monks, a monk is not content with any robe whatsoever, is not content with any almsfood whatsoever, is not content with any lodging whatsoever, is not content with any requisite of medicines for the sick whatsoever, and dwells with abundant thoughts of sensual pleasure. Monks, a monk possessed of these five qualities is not able to withdraw from the monastic community.
"Monks, a monk possessed of five qualities is able to withdraw from the monastic community. Which five? Here, monks, a monk is content with any robe whatsoever, is content with any almsfood whatsoever, is content with any lodging whatsoever, is content with any requisite of medicines for the sick whatsoever, and dwells with abundant thoughts of renunciation. Monks, a monk possessed of these five qualities is able to withdraw from the monastic community." The seventh.
8.
The Discourse on the Happiness of an Ascetic
128. "There are, monks, these five sufferings of an ascetic. Which five? Here, monks, a monk is not content with any robe whatsoever, is not content with any almsfood whatsoever, is not content with any lodging whatsoever, is not content with any requisite of medicines for the sick whatsoever, and he lives the holy life without delight. These, monks, are the five sufferings of an ascetic.
"There are, monks, these five pleasures of an ascetic. Which five? Here, monks, a monk is content with any robe whatsoever, is content with any almsfood whatsoever, is content with any lodging whatsoever, is content with any requisite of medicines for the sick whatsoever, and he lives the holy life with delight. These, monks, are the five pleasures of an ascetic." The eighth.
9.
The Discourse on Agitation
129. "Monks, there are these five bound for the realm of misery, doomed to Niraya Hell, festering, incurable. Which five? A mother has been deprived of life, a father has been deprived of life, a Worthy One has been deprived of life, blood has been drawn from a Truth-finder with a malicious mind, the monastic community has been split. These, monks, are the five bound for the realm of misery, doomed to Niraya Hell, festering, incurable." The ninth.
10.
The Discourse on Disaster
130. "There are, monks, these five disasters. Which five? Disaster regarding relatives, disaster regarding wealth, disaster regarding illness, disaster regarding morality, disaster regarding view. Monks, beings are not reborn in a realm of misery, an unfortunate realm, a nether world, in hell, upon the body's collapse at death, because of disaster regarding relatives, or because of disaster regarding wealth, or because of disaster regarding illness. Monks, beings are reborn in a realm of misery, an unfortunate realm, a nether world, in hell, upon the body's collapse at death, because of disaster regarding morality, or because of disaster regarding view. These, monks, are the five disasters.
"There are these five accomplishments, monks. What five? Accomplishment regarding relatives, accomplishment regarding wealth, accomplishment regarding health, accomplishment in morality, accomplishment in right view. Monks, beings are not reborn in a fortunate realm, in a heavenly world, upon the body's collapse at death, because of accomplishment regarding relatives, or because of accomplishment regarding wealth, or because of accomplishment regarding health. Monks, beings are reborn in a fortunate realm, in a heavenly world, upon the body's collapse at death, because of accomplishment in morality, or because of accomplishment in right view. These, monks, are the five accomplishments." The tenth.
The Chapter on the Sick is third.
Its summary:
Seclusion, ascetic's happiness, agitation, and with disaster.