The Buddha teaches on sick, presenting a fivefold teaching for disciples on the path.

AN 5.121 Sick

Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā vesāliyaṁ viharati mahāvane kūṭāgārasālāyaṁ. Atha kho bhagavā sāyanhasamayaṁ paṭisallānā vuṭṭhito yena gilānasālā tenupasaṅkami. Addasā kho bhagavā aññataraṁ bhikkhuṁ dubbalaṁ gilānakaṁ; disvā paññatte āsane nisīdi. Nisajja kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi:

“Yaṁ kiñci, bhikkhave, bhikkhuṁ dubbalaṁ gilānakaṁ pañca dhammā na vijahanti, tassetaṁ pāṭikaṅkhaṁ: ‘nacirasseva āsavānaṁ khayā anāsavaṁ cetovimuttiṁ paññāvimuttiṁ diṭṭheva dhamme sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja viharissatī’ti.

Katame pañca? Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu asubhānupassī kāye viharati, āhāre paṭikūlasaññī, sabbaloke anabhiratasaññī, sabbasaṅkhāresu aniccānupassī, maraṇasaññā kho panassa ajjhattaṁ sūpaṭṭhitā hoti. Yaṁ kiñci, bhikkhave, bhikkhuṁ dubbalaṁ gilānakaṁ ime pañca dhammā na vijahanti, tassetaṁ pāṭikaṅkhaṁ: ‘nacirasseva āsavānaṁ khayā …pe… sacchikatvā upasampajja viharissatī’”ti.

Paṭhamaṁ.

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā vesāliyaṁ viharati mahāvane kūṭāgārasālāyaṁ.

At one time the Buddha was staying near Vesālī, at the Great Wood, in the hall with the peaked roof.

Atha kho bhagavā sāyanhasamayaṁ paṭisallānā vuṭṭhito yena gilānasālā tenupasaṅkami.

Then in the late afternoon, the Buddha came out of retreat and went to the infirmary, where

Addasā kho bhagavā aññataraṁ bhikkhuṁ dubbalaṁ gilānakaṁ;

he saw a certain mendicant who was weak and sick.

disvā paññatte āsane nisīdi.

He sat down on the seat spread out,

Nisajja kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi:

and addressed the mendicants:

“Yaṁ kiñci, bhikkhave, bhikkhuṁ dubbalaṁ gilānakaṁ pañca dhammā na vijahanti, tassetaṁ pāṭikaṅkhaṁ:

“Mendicants, if a weak and sick mendicant does not neglect five things, it can be expected that

‘nacirasseva āsavānaṁ khayā anāsavaṁ cetovimuttiṁ paññāvimuttiṁ diṭṭheva dhamme sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja viharissatī’ti.

they will soon realize the undefiled freedom of heart and freedom by wisdom in this very life, and live having realized it with their own insight due to the ending of defilements.

Katame pañca?

What five?

Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu asubhānupassī kāye viharati, āhāre paṭikūlasaññī, sabbaloke anabhiratasaññī, sabbasaṅkhāresu aniccānupassī, maraṇasaññā kho panassa ajjhattaṁ sūpaṭṭhitā hoti.

It’s when a mendicant meditates observing the ugliness of the body, perceives the repulsiveness of food, perceives dissatisfaction with the whole world, observes the impermanence of all conditions, and has well established the perception of their own death.

Yaṁ kiñci, bhikkhave, bhikkhuṁ dubbalaṁ gilānakaṁ ime pañca dhammā na vijahanti, tassetaṁ pāṭikaṅkhaṁ:

If a weak and sick mendicant does not neglect these five things, it can be expected that

‘nacirasseva āsavānaṁ khayā …pe… sacchikatvā upasampajja viharissatī’”ti.

they will soon realize the undefiled freedom of heart and freedom by wisdom in this very life, and live having realized it with their own insight due to the ending of defilements.”

Paṭhamaṁ.

Topics & Qualities:

Discontentment

Discontentment

A state of dissatisfaction with one's requisites or conditions. It fuels the search for more, disturbing peace and preventing the mind from settling into collectedness.

Also known as: dissatisfaction, unsatisfactoriness, boredom
Pāli: asantuṭṭhitā, aratī, atitta
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Ending

Ending

The complete exhaustion and ending of craving, aversion, and delusion—the three roots of suffering. It refers to both the gradual wearing away of defilements through practice and the final cessation that constitutes Nibbāna.

Also known as: cessation, exhaustion, gradual ending, wearing away
Pāli: khaya, khīṇa, nirodha
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Insight

Insight

Insight is deep, intuitive realization that transforms understanding and guides practice.

Also known as: having insight, with understanding, right knowledge
Pāli: ñāṇa, sammāñāṇa
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Liberation

Liberation

Liberation can imply a temporary release of the mind, i.e. liberated from certain unwholesome mental qualities or complete liberation from all unwholesome qualities of the mind, i.e. Nibbāna.

Also known as: freedom, release, emancipation, deliverance
Pāli: vimutti, vimokkha, cetovimutti, paññāvimutti, akuppā cetovimutti
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Suffering

Suffering

Unpleasantness, discontentment, dissatisfaction, stress, pain, disease, i.e. mild or intense suffering that is inherent in conditioned existence.

Also known as: discomfort, unpleasantness, discontentedness, dissatisfaction, stress, pain, disease, distress, affliction
Pāli: dukkha
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Wisdom

Wisdom

Lived understanding and sound judgment that steers the mind away from suffering, distinct from mere accumulation of facts.

Also known as: (of a person) wise, astute, intelligent, learned, skilled, firm, stable, steadfast, an experiential understanding of the four noble truths
Pāli: paññā, medhā, dhīra, paṇḍita, asammūḷha
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Last updated on July 27, 2026