Illness
Roga Sutta  (AN 4:157)

“Monks, there are these two kinds of illness. Which two? Bodily illness & mental illness.

“Beings are seen who can claim to be free of bodily illness for a year. Beings are seen who can claim to be free of bodily illness for two years… three years… four years… five… ten… twenty… thirty… forty… fifty years… a hundred years or more. But it’s hard to find beings in the world who can claim to be free of mental illness for even a moment, aside from those whose effluents are ended.

“Monks, there are these four illnesses of one gone forth. Which four?

“There is the case where a monk has large desires, is frustrated, and is not content with any old robes, alms food, lodgings, or medical requisites for curing the sick.

“Having large desires, being frustrated & discontented with any old robes, alms food, lodgings, or medical requisites for curing the sick, he is set on evil desires for recognition, for gains, offerings, & praise.

“He has initiative, busies himself, & endeavors for recognition, for gains, offerings, & praise.

“Calculatedly he goes to families, calculatedly he sits down, calculatedly he speaks Dhamma, calculatedly he holds in his urine & excrement.

“These are the four illnesses of one gone forth.

“Therefore, monks, you should train yourselves: ‘We will not have large desires, be frustrated in mind1 or discontented with any old robes, alms food, lodgings, or medical requisites for curing the sick. We will not be set on evil desires for recognition, for gains, offerings, & praise. We will endure cold, heat, hunger, & thirst; the touch of flies, mosquitoes, wind, sun, & reptiles; ill-spoken, unwelcome words. We will tolerate bodily feelings that, when they arise, are painful, racking, sharp, piercing, disagreeable, displeasing, & menacing to life.’ That’s how you should train yourselves.”

See also: MN 2; MN 21; MN 28; SN 22:1; SN 22:122; AN 4:28; Sn 4:16; Thag 5:8

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