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Aṅguttara Nikāya - The Numerical Discourses

4: The Book of the Fours

XVI. Faculties — AN 4.157: Illness

1“Mendicants, there are two kinds of illness. What two? Mental and physical. Some sentient beings are seen who can claim to be free of physical illness for a year, or two, or three years … even up to a hundred years or more. But it’s very hard to find any sentient beings in the world who can claim to be free of mental illness even for a moment, apart from those who have ended the defilements.


2There are four kinds of illness for those gone forth. What four?

To start with, a mendicant has many wishes, is frustrated, and is not content with any kind of robes, alms-food, lodgings, and medicines and supplies for the sick.

Because of this, they focus their corrupt wishes on being looked up to, and on getting material possessions, honor, and popularity.


They try hard, strive, and make an effort to get these things.


They have an ulterior motive when they visit families. They have an ulterior motive when they sit down, when they speak on Dhamma, and even when they hold it in when they need to go to the toilet.

These are the four kinds of illness for those gone forth.


3So you should train like this: ‘We will not have many wishes or be frustrated. We will be content with any kind of robes, alms-food, lodgings, and medicines and supplies for the sick. We won’t focus our corrupt wishes on being looked up to, and on getting material possessions, honor, and popularity. We won’t try hard, strive, and make an effort to get these things. We will endure cold, heat, hunger, and thirst. We will endure the touch of flies, mosquitoes, wind, sun, and reptiles. We will endure rude and unwelcome criticism. We will put up with physical pain — sharp, severe, acute, unpleasant, disagreeable, and life-threatening.’ That’s how you should train.”

1"Dveme, bhikkhave, rogā. Katame dve? Kāyiko ca rogo cetasiko ca rogo. Dissanti, bhikkhave, sattā kāyikena rogena ekampi vassaṁ ārogyaṁ paṭijānamānā, dvepi vassāni ārogyaṁ paṭijānamānā, tīṇipi vassāni ārogyaṁ paṭijānamānā, cattāripi vassāni ārogyaṁ paṭijānamānā, pañcapi vassāni ārogyaṁ paṭijānamānā, dasapi vassāni ārogyaṁ paṭijānamānā, vīsatipi vassāni ārogyaṁ paṭijānamānā, tiṁsampi vassāni ārogyaṁ paṭijānamānā, cattārīsampi vassāni ārogyaṁ paṭijānamānā, paññāsampi vassāni ārogyaṁ paṭijānamānā, vassasatampi, bhiyyopi ārogyaṁ paṭijānamānā. Te, bhikkhave, sattā sudullabhā lokasmiṁ ye cetasikena rogena muhuttampi ārogyaṁ paṭijānanti, aññatra khīṇāsavehi.


2Cattārome, bhikkhave, pabbajitassa rogā. Katame cattāro?

Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu mahiccho hoti vighātavā asantuṭṭho itarītaracīvarapiṇḍapātasenāsanagilānappaccayabhesajjaparikkhārena.

So mahiccho samāno vighātavā asantuṭṭho itarītaracīvarapiṇḍapātasenāsanagilānappaccayabhesajjaparikkhārena pāpikaṁ icchaṁ paṇidahati anavaññappaṭilābhāya lābhasakkārasilokappaṭilābhāya.


So uṭṭhahati ghaṭati vāyamati anavaññappaṭilābhāya lābhasakkārasilokappaṭilābhāya.


So saṅkhāya kulāni upasaṅkamati, saṅkhāya nisīdati, saṅkhāya dhammaṁ bhāsati, saṅkhāya uccārapassāvaṁ sandhāreti.

Ime kho, bhikkhave, cattāro pabbajitassa rogā.


3Tasmātiha, bhikkhave, evaṁ sikkhitabbaṁ:  ‘Na mahicchā bhavissāma vighātavanto asantuṭṭhā itarītaracīvarapiṇḍapātasenāsanagilānappaccayabhesajjaparikkhārena, na pāpikaṁ icchaṁ paṇidahissāma anavaññappaṭilābhāya lābhasakkārasilokappaṭilābhāya, na uṭṭhahissāma na ghaṭessāma na vāyamissāma anavaññappaṭilābhāya lābhasakkārasilokappaṭilābhāya, khamā bhavissāma sītassa uṇhassa jighacchāya pipāsāya ḍaṁsamakasavātātapasarīsapasamphassānaṁ duruttānaṁ durāgatānaṁ vacanapathānaṁ, uppannānaṁ sārīrikānaṁ vedanānaṁ dukkhānaṁ tibbānaṁ kharānaṁ kaṭukānaṁ asātānaṁ amanāpānaṁ pāṇaharānaṁ adhivāsakajātikā bhavissāmā’ti. Evañhi vo, bhikkhave, sikkhitabban"ti.

Sattamaṁ.