SN 45-56 The Group of Connected Discourses on the Path – Mahāvaggasaṁyutta > SN 55 Linked Discourses on Stream-Entry – Sotāpattisaṁyutta > SN 55.54 Sick

Linked Discourses 55.54 – Saṁyutta Nikāya 55.54

6. A Wise Person – 6. Sappaññavagga

SN 55.54 Sick – Gilānasutta

At one time the Buddha was staying in the land of the Sakyans, near Kapilavatthu in the Banyan Tree Monastery.

Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sakkesu viharati kapilavatthusmiṁ nigrodhārāme.

At that time several bhikkhū were making a robe for the Buddha, thinking that

Tena kho pana samayena sambahulā bhikkhū bhagavato cīvarakammaṁ karonti:

when his robe was finished and the three months of the rains residence had passed the Buddha would set out wandering.

“niṭṭhitacīvaro bhagavā temāsaccayena cārikaṁ pakkamissatī”ti.

Mahānāma the Sakyan heard about this.

Assosi kho mahānāmo sakko:

“sambahulā kira bhikkhū bhagavato cīvarakammaṁ karonti:

‘niṭṭhitacīvaro bhagavā temāsaccayena cārikaṁ pakkamissatī’”ti.

Then he went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and told him that he had heard that the Buddha was leaving. He added,

Atha kho mahānāmo sakko yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho mahānāmo sakko bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

“sutametaṁ, bhante:

‘sambahulā kira bhikkhū bhagavato cīvarakammaṁ karonti—

niṭṭhitacīvaro bhagavā temāsaccayena cārikaṁ pakkamissatī’ti.

“Sir, I haven’t heard and learned it in the presence of the Buddha

Na kho netaṁ, bhante, bhagavato sammukhā sutaṁ sammukhā paṭiggahitaṁ

how a wise lay follower should advise another wise lay follower who is sick, suffering, gravely ill.”

sappaññena upāsakena sappañño upāsako ābādhiko dukkhito bāḷhagilāno ovaditabbo”ti.

“Mahānāma, a wise lay follower should put at ease another wise lay follower who is sick, suffering, gravely ill with four consolations.

“Sappaññena, mahānāma, upāsakena sappañño upāsako ābādhiko dukkhito bāḷhagilāno catūhi assāsanīyehi dhammehi assāsetabbo:

‘Be at ease, sir.

‘assāsatāyasmā—

You have experiential confidence in the Buddha …

atthāyasmato buddhe aveccappasādo itipi so bhagavā …pe… satthā devamanussānaṁ buddho bhagavāti.

Assāsatāyasmā—

the teaching …

atthāyasmato dhamme …pe…

the Saṅgha …

saṅghe …pe…

And you have the ethical conduct loved by the noble ones … leading to samādhi.’

ariyakantāni sīlāni akhaṇḍāni …pe… samādhisaṁvattanikānī’ti.

When a wise lay follower has put at ease another wise lay follower who is sick, suffering, gravely ill with these four consolations, they should say:

Sappaññena, mahānāma, upāsakena sappañño upāsako ābādhiko dukkhito bāḷhagilāno imehi catūhi assāsanīyehi dhammehi assāsetvā evamassa vacanīyo:

‘Are you concerned for your mother and father?’

‘atthāyasmato mātāpitūsu apekkhā’ti?

If they reply,

So ce evaṁ vadeyya:

‘I am,’ they should say:

‘atthi me mātāpitūsu apekkhā’ti, so evamassa vacanīyo:

‘But sir, it’s your nature to die.

‘āyasmā kho māriso maraṇadhammo.

Whether or not you are concerned for your mother and father,

Sacepāyasmā mātāpitūsu apekkhaṁ karissati, marissateva;

you will die anyway.

no cepāyasmā mātāpitūsu apekkhaṁ karissati, marissateva.

It would be good to give up concern for your mother and father.’

Sādhāyasmā, yā te mātāpitūsu apekkhā taṁ pajahā’ti.

If they reply,

So ce evaṁ vadeyya:

‘I have given up concern for my mother and father,’ they should say:

‘yā me mātāpitūsu apekkhā sā pahīnā’ti, so evamassa vacanīyo:

‘But are you concerned for your partners and children?’

‘atthi panāyasmato puttadāresu apekkhā’ti?

If they reply,

So ce evaṁ vadeyya:

‘I am,’ they should say:

‘atthi me puttadāresu apekkhā’ti, so evamassa vacanīyo:

‘But sir, it’s your nature to die.

‘āyasmā kho māriso maraṇadhammo.

Whether or not you are concerned for your partners and children,

Sacepāyasmā puttadāresu apekkhaṁ karissati, marissateva;

you will die anyway.

no cepāyasmā puttadāresu apekkhaṁ karissati, marissateva.

It would be good to give up concern for your partners and children.’

Sādhāyasmā, yā te puttadāresu apekkhā taṁ pajahā’ti.

If they reply,

So ce evaṁ vadeyya:

‘I have given up concern for my partners and children,’ they should say:

‘yā me puttadāresu apekkhā sā pahīnā’ti, so evamassa vacanīyo:

‘But are you concerned for the five kinds of human sensual stimulation?’

‘atthi panāyasmato mānusakesu pañcasu kāmaguṇesu apekkhā’ti?

If they reply,

So ce evaṁ vadeyya:

‘I am,’ they should say:

‘atthi me mānusakesu pañcasu kāmaguṇesu apekkhā’ti, so evamassa vacanīyo:

‘Good sir, heavenly sensual pleasures are better than human sensual pleasures.

‘mānusakehi kho, āvuso, kāmehi dibbā kāmā abhikkantatarā ca paṇītatarā ca.

It would be good to turn your mind away from human sensual pleasures and fix it on the gods of the Four Great Kings.’

Sādhāyasmā, mānusakehi kāmehi cittaṁ vuṭṭhāpetvā cātumahārājikesu devesu cittaṁ adhimocehī’ti.

If they reply,

So ce evaṁ vadeyya:

‘I have done so,’ they should say:

‘mānusakehi me kāmehi cittaṁ vuṭṭhitaṁ, cātumahārājikesu devesu cittaṁ adhimocitan’ti, so evamassa vacanīyo:

‘Good sir, the gods of the Thirty-Three are better than the gods of the Four Great Kings …

‘cātumahārājikehi kho, āvuso, devehi tāvatiṁsā devā abhikkantatarā ca paṇītatarā ca.

Sādhāyasmā, cātumahārājikehi devehi cittaṁ vuṭṭhāpetvā tāvatiṁsesu devesu cittaṁ adhimocehī’ti.

So ce evaṁ vadeyya:

‘cātumahārājikehi me devehi cittaṁ vuṭṭhitaṁ, tāvatiṁsesu devesu cittaṁ adhimocitan’ti, so evamassa vacanīyo:

Good sir, the gods of Yama …

‘tāvatiṁsehi kho, āvuso, devehi yāmā devā …pe…

the Joyful Gods …

tusitā devā …pe…

the Gods Who Love to Create …

nimmānaratī devā …pe…

the Gods Who Control the Creations of Others …

paranimmitavasavattī devā …pe…

the Gods of the Brahmā realm are better than the Gods Who Control the Creations of Others.

paranimmitavasavattīhi kho, āvuso, devehi brahmaloko abhikkantataro ca paṇītataro ca.

It would be good to turn your mind away from the Gods Who Control the Creations of Others and fix it on the Gods of the Brahmā realm.’

Sādhāyasmā, paranimmitavasavattīhi devehi cittaṁ vuṭṭhāpetvā brahmaloke cittaṁ adhimocehī’ti.

If they reply,

So ce evaṁ vadeyya:

‘I have done so,’ they should say:

‘paranimmitavasavattīhi me devehi cittaṁ vuṭṭhitaṁ, brahmaloke cittaṁ adhimocitan’ti, so evamassa vacanīyo:

‘Good sir, the Brahmā realm is anicca, not lasting, and included within identity.

‘brahmalokopi kho, āvuso, anicco addhuvo sakkāyapariyāpanno.

It would be good to turn your mind away from the Brahmā realm and apply it to the cessation of identity.’

Sādhāyasmā, brahmalokā cittaṁ vuṭṭhāpetvā sakkāyanirodhe cittaṁ upasaṁharāhī’ti.

If they reply,

So ce evaṁ vadeyya:

‘I have done so,’

‘brahmalokā me cittaṁ vuṭṭhitaṁ, sakkāyanirodhe cittaṁ upasaṁharāmī’ti;

then there is no difference between a lay follower whose mind is freed in this way and a bhikkhu whose mind is freed from defilements; that is,

evaṁ vimuttacittassa kho, mahānāma, upāsakassa āsavā vimuttacittena bhikkhunā na kiñci nānākaraṇaṁ vadāmi, yadidaṁ—

between the freedom of one and the other.”

vimuttiyā vimuttan”ti.