Aṇguttara Nikāya
Pañcaka Nipāta
13. Gilāna Vaggo
The Book of the Gradual Sayings
The Book of the Fives
Chapter XIII: The Sick
Sutta 121
Gilāna Suttaṃ
A Sick Man
Translated by E. M. Hare
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On one occasion, when he was staying near Veaālī, at the Gabled Hall in Mahāvana, the Exalted One, arising from seclusion at eventide, visited the hall of the sick.[1]
And the Exalted One saw a monk, weak and ailing;
and at the sight he sat down on the seat made ready.
And when he was seated, the Exalted One addressed the monks, saying:
"Monks, if five things forsake not anyone weak and ailing,
for him this may be expected:
Ere long,
by destroying the cankers,
he will enter and abide in
the emancipation of mind,
the emancipation of insight,
which is free of cankers,
realizing this by his own knowledge
even both here and now.
What five?
Herein, monks, a monk abides
seeing nothing attractive in the body;
is conscious of the cloying of food;
conscious of distaste as to the world;
perceives impermanence in the compounded;
and his inner self is well set
on the thought of death.[2]
Monks, if these five things forsake not anyone weak and ailing,
for him this may be expected:
Ere long,
by destroying the cankers,
he will enter and abide in
the emancipation of mind,
the emancipation of insight,
which is free of cankers,
realizing this by his own knowledge
even both here and now.
[1] Gilāna-sālā; Cf. S. iv, 210 for the same setting.
[2] Cf. above, § 71.
