121(1)Sick
On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Vesalī in the hall with the peaked roof in the Great Wood.
Then,in the evening,the Blessed One emerged from seclusion and approached the infirmary,
where he saw a certain bhikkhu who was frail and sick.
He then sat down in the prepared seat
and addressed the bhikkhus:
"Bhikkhus,if five things do not slip away from a frail and sick bhikkhu,it can be expected of him:
'In no long time,with the destruction of the taints,he will realize for himself with direct knowledge,in this very life,the taintless liberation of mind,liberation by wisdom,and having entered upon it,he will dwell in it.'
What five?
Here,a bhikkhu dwells contemplating the unattractiveness of the body,perceiving the repulsiveness offood,perceiving non-delight in the entire world,[143]contemplating impermanence in all conditioned phenomena;and he has the perception of death well established internally.
If these five things do not slip away from a frail and sick bhikkhu,it can be expected of him:
In no long time,with the destruction of the taints,he will realize for himself,with direct knowledge,in thisvery life,the taintless liberation of mind,liberationby wisdom,and having entered upon it,he will dwell in it."