The Buddha teaches on a carer (1st), presenting a fivefold teaching for disciples on the path.

AN 5.123 A Carer (1st)

“Pañcahi, bhikkhave, dhammehi samannāgato gilāno dūpaṭṭhāko hoti. Katamehi pañcahi? Asappāyakārī hoti, sappāye mattaṁ na jānāti, bhesajjaṁ nappaṭisevitā hoti, atthakāmassa gilānupaṭṭhākassa na yathābhūtaṁ ābādhaṁ āvikattā hoti abhikkamantaṁ abhikkamatīti paṭikkamantaṁ paṭikkamatīti ṭhitaṁ ṭhitoti, uppannānaṁ sārīrikānaṁ vedanānaṁ dukkhānaṁ tibbānaṁ kharānaṁ kaṭukānaṁ asātānaṁ amanāpānaṁ pāṇaharānaṁ anadhivāsakajātiko hoti. Imehi kho, bhikkhave, pañcahi dhammehi samannāgato gilāno dūpaṭṭhāko hoti.

Pañcahi, bhikkhave, dhammehi samannāgato gilāno sūpaṭṭhāko hoti. Katamehi pañcahi? Sappāyakārī hoti, sappāye mattaṁ jānāti, bhesajjaṁ paṭisevitā hoti, atthakāmassa gilānupaṭṭhākassa yathābhūtaṁ ābādhaṁ āvikattā hoti abhikkamantaṁ abhikkamatīti paṭikkamantaṁ paṭikkamatīti ṭhitaṁ ṭhitoti, uppannānaṁ sārīrikānaṁ vedanānaṁ dukkhānaṁ tibbānaṁ kharānaṁ kaṭukānaṁ asātānaṁ amanāpānaṁ pāṇaharānaṁ adhivāsakajātiko hoti. Imehi kho, bhikkhave, pañcahi dhammehi samannāgato gilāno sūpaṭṭhāko hotī”ti.

Tatiyaṁ.

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

“Pañcahi, bhikkhave, dhammehi samannāgato gilāno dūpaṭṭhāko hoti.

“Mendicants, a patient with five qualities is hard to care for.

Katamehi pañcahi?

What five?

Asappāyakārī hoti, sappāye mattaṁ na jānāti, bhesajjaṁ nappaṭisevitā hoti, atthakāmassa gilānupaṭṭhākassa na yathābhūtaṁ ābādhaṁ āvikattā hoti abhikkamantaṁ abhikkamatīti paṭikkamantaṁ paṭikkamatīti ṭhitaṁ ṭhitoti, uppannānaṁ sārīrikānaṁ vedanānaṁ dukkhānaṁ tibbānaṁ kharānaṁ kaṭukānaṁ asātānaṁ amanāpānaṁ pāṇaharānaṁ anadhivāsakajātiko hoti.

They do what is unsuitable. They don’t know moderation in what is suitable. They don’t take their medicine. Though their carer wants what’s best for them, they don’t accurately report their symptoms by saying when they’re getting worse, getting better, or staying the same. And they cannot endure physical pain—sharp, severe, acute, unpleasant, disagreeable, and life-threatening.

Imehi kho, bhikkhave, pañcahi dhammehi samannāgato gilāno dūpaṭṭhāko hoti.

A patient with these five qualities is hard to care for.

Pañcahi, bhikkhave, dhammehi samannāgato gilāno sūpaṭṭhāko hoti.

A patient with five qualities is easy to care for.

Katamehi pañcahi?

What five?

Sappāyakārī hoti, sappāye mattaṁ jānāti, bhesajjaṁ paṭisevitā hoti, atthakāmassa gilānupaṭṭhākassa yathābhūtaṁ ābādhaṁ āvikattā hoti abhikkamantaṁ abhikkamatīti paṭikkamantaṁ paṭikkamatīti ṭhitaṁ ṭhitoti, uppannānaṁ sārīrikānaṁ vedanānaṁ dukkhānaṁ tibbānaṁ kharānaṁ kaṭukānaṁ asātānaṁ amanāpānaṁ pāṇaharānaṁ adhivāsakajātiko hoti.

They do what is suitable. They know moderation in what is suitable. They take their medicine. Because their carer wants what’s best for them, they accurately report their symptoms by saying when they’re getting worse, getting better, or staying the same. And they can endure physical pain—sharp, severe, acute, unpleasant, disagreeable, and life-threatening.

Imehi kho, bhikkhave, pañcahi dhammehi samannāgato gilāno sūpaṭṭhāko hotī”ti.

A patient with these five qualities is easy to care for.”

Tatiyaṁ.

Qualities:

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