Keep training in un-well state.

Once time the Lord Buddha was dwelling in Vaisali, the Buddha visited a serious sick monk.

After  arriving, He sat down and told the monk: 

“Oh monk, there are five things which never leave a bhikkhu even when he gets serious sickness, he will stop any transmigration in the samsara in the present life and with the full wisdom, he will get enlightenment and to be in the state of tranquility (nirvana) forever. What is called five?

 Here, monks, a bikkhu meditates on the uncleanness of body, thinks of disgusting of food, thinks of non-attachment to the world, meditates on the impermanence of all mental formation and put the mind in concentration of death.

Oh, monks!If theses five things attach to the disease, he has no longer eliminated afflictions, or at present, in wisdom, he attains in peace, gains enlightenment.

(Anguttara nikaya II, vol. 5, Sickness chapter, the sick person part)

 Comment: 

Today, the health of the monk in general is a serous matter to find out the reason and therapeutic method when having lots of patients among the monks.Naturally, the exsistence of a body causes disease. Normally, a sick person is unable to do anything but if he tries he can win even in the case of facing the life-threating diseases.

 When a person who gets sickness, the body-pain will effect to mind and create so many negative ideas, even sometimes falling in hopeless . The one who hasexperience for such thing will know about this. The popular saying is â€œPoison will cures poisonous things” and this can be applied in the Buddhist contemplation and meditation practice. Instead of thinking of the body-pain, one should take a Zen topic then absorb in thought to have a deep insight and bravely facing to the present truth.

 This will bring about the realization of our defilement and impermanence. Physical body is nothing but the gathering of the four elements wind, earth, water and fire, the existence of which depends on food and other conditions. This physical body will be decayed in one day according to the universal law. When we really understand the impermanent theory then we have wisdom. Therefore sickness or even death also belongs to impermanence; there is nothing to fear or attachment.

 A sick person who constantly keeps  these meditated topics of body, mind and world will not be worried or afraid of sickness state. In the case of putting more effort, one can perceive the truth, and fulfill his wisdom and be in total enlightenment.

 Quảng Tánh