The Buddha teaches on a carer (2nd), presenting a fivefold teaching for disciples on the path.

AN 5.124 A Carer (2nd)

“Pañcahi, bhikkhave, dhammehi samannāgato gilānupaṭṭhāko nālaṁ gilānaṁ upaṭṭhātuṁ. Katamehi pañcahi? Nappaṭibalo hoti bhesajjaṁ saṁvidhātuṁ; sappāyāsappāyaṁ na jānāti, asappāyaṁ upanāmeti, sappāyaṁ apanāmeti; āmisantaro gilānaṁ upaṭṭhāti, no mettacitto; jegucchī hoti uccāraṁ passāvaṁ vantaṁ kheḷaṁ nīharituṁ; nappaṭibalo hoti gilānaṁ kālena kālaṁ dhammiyā kathāya sandassetuṁ samādapetuṁ samuttejetuṁ sampahaṁsetuṁ. Imehi kho, bhikkhave, pañcahi dhammehi samannāgato gilānupaṭṭhāko nālaṁ gilānaṁ upaṭṭhātuṁ.

Pañcahi, bhikkhave, dhammehi samannāgato gilānupaṭṭhāko alaṁ gilānaṁ upaṭṭhātuṁ. Katamehi pañcahi? Paṭibalo hoti bhesajjaṁ saṁvidhātuṁ; sappāyāsappāyaṁ jānāti, asappāyaṁ apanāmeti, sappāyaṁ upanāmeti; mettacitto gilānaṁ upaṭṭhāti, no āmisantaro; ajegucchī hoti uccāraṁ passāvaṁ vantaṁ kheḷaṁ nīharituṁ; paṭibalo hoti gilānaṁ kālena kālaṁ dhammiyā kathāya sandassetuṁ samādapetuṁ samuttejetuṁ sampahaṁsetuṁ. Imehi kho, bhikkhave, pañcahi dhammehi samannāgato gilānupaṭṭhāko alaṁ gilānaṁ upaṭṭhātun”ti.

Catutthaṁ.

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

“Pañcahi, bhikkhave, dhammehi samannāgato gilānupaṭṭhāko nālaṁ gilānaṁ upaṭṭhātuṁ.

“Mendicants, a carer with five qualities is not competent to care for a patient.

Katamehi pañcahi?

What five?

Nappaṭibalo hoti bhesajjaṁ saṁvidhātuṁ;

They’re unable to prepare medicine.

sappāyāsappāyaṁ na jānāti, asappāyaṁ upanāmeti, sappāyaṁ apanāmeti;

They don’t know what is suitable and unsuitable, so they supply what is unsuitable and remove what is suitable.

āmisantaro gilānaṁ upaṭṭhāti, no mettacitto;

They care for the sick for the sake of material benefits, not out of love.

jegucchī hoti uccāraṁ passāvaṁ vantaṁ kheḷaṁ nīharituṁ;

They’re disgusted to remove feces, urine, vomit, or spit.

nappaṭibalo hoti gilānaṁ kālena kālaṁ dhammiyā kathāya sandassetuṁ samādapetuṁ samuttejetuṁ sampahaṁsetuṁ.

They’re unable to educate, encourage, fire up, and inspire the patient with a Dhamma talk from time to time.

Imehi kho, bhikkhave, pañcahi dhammehi samannāgato gilānupaṭṭhāko nālaṁ gilānaṁ upaṭṭhātuṁ.

A carer with these five qualities is not competent to care for a patient.

Pañcahi, bhikkhave, dhammehi samannāgato gilānupaṭṭhāko alaṁ gilānaṁ upaṭṭhātuṁ.

A carer with five qualities is competent to care for a patient.

Katamehi pañcahi?

What five?

Paṭibalo hoti bhesajjaṁ saṁvidhātuṁ;

They’re able to prepare medicine.

sappāyāsappāyaṁ jānāti, asappāyaṁ apanāmeti, sappāyaṁ upanāmeti;

They know what is suitable and unsuitable, so they remove what is unsuitable and supply what is suitable.

mettacitto gilānaṁ upaṭṭhāti, no āmisantaro;

They care for the sick out of love, not for the sake of material benefits.

ajegucchī hoti uccāraṁ passāvaṁ vantaṁ kheḷaṁ nīharituṁ;

They’re not disgusted to remove feces, urine, vomit, or spit.

paṭibalo hoti gilānaṁ kālena kālaṁ dhammiyā kathāya sandassetuṁ samādapetuṁ samuttejetuṁ sampahaṁsetuṁ.

They’re able to educate, encourage, fire up, and inspire the patient with a Dhamma talk from time to time.

Imehi kho, bhikkhave, pañcahi dhammehi samannāgato gilānupaṭṭhāko alaṁ gilānaṁ upaṭṭhātun”ti.

A carer with these five qualities is competent to care for a patient.”

Catutthaṁ.

Qualities:

Affection

Affection

A mental quality of tender affection and fond regard, often wholesome when rooted in kindness, which inclines the mind toward warmth and care. When unguarded, it may turn toward fixation upon what is 'dear,' leading the mind to attachment and the grief that follows separation from what has been clung to as 'dear'.

Also known as: fondness, love, tender regard
Pāli: pema
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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