[461] "Bhikkhus, these three kinds of sick persons are found existing in the world. What three? Here, bhikkhus, a certain sick person, whether he obtains suitable food or does not obtain suitable food, whether he obtains suitable medicines or does not obtain suitable medicines, whether he obtains a proper attendant or does not obtain a proper attendant, does not recover from that illness. Here again, bhikkhus, a certain sick person, whether he obtains suitable food or does not obtain suitable food, whether he obtains suitable medicines or does not obtain suitable medicines, whether he obtains a proper attendant or does not obtain a proper attendant, recovers from that illness. Here again, bhikkhus, a certain sick person recovers from that illness only when obtaining suitable food, not when not obtaining it; only when obtaining suitable medicines, not when not obtaining them; only when obtaining a proper attendant, not when not obtaining one.
"It is, bhikkhus, on account of this sick person—the one who recovers from that illness only when obtaining suitable food, not when not obtaining it; only when obtaining suitable medicines, not when not obtaining them; only when obtaining a proper attendant, not when not obtaining one—that food for the sick has been allowed, medicine for the sick has been allowed, and an attendant for the sick has been allowed. And, bhikkhus, on account of this sick person, the other sick persons too should be attended to. These, bhikkhus, are the three kinds of sick persons found existing in the world.
"Even so, bhikkhus, these three kinds of persons comparable to the sick are found existing in the world. What three? Here, bhikkhus, a certain person, whether he gets to see the Tathāgata or does not get to see the Tathāgata, whether he gets to hear the Dhamma and Discipline proclaimed by the Tathāgata or does not get to hear the Dhamma and Discipline proclaimed by the Tathāgata, does not enter upon the fixed course of rightness (sammatta-niyāma) in wholesome dhammas. Here again, bhikkhus, a certain person, whether he gets to see the Tathāgata or does not get to see the Tathāgata, whether he gets to hear the Dhamma and Discipline proclaimed by the Tathāgata or does not get to hear the Dhamma and Discipline proclaimed by the Tathāgata, enters upon the fixed course of rightness in wholesome dhammas. Here again, bhikkhus, a certain person enters upon the fixed course of rightness in wholesome dhammas only when getting to see the Tathāgata, not when not getting to; only when getting to hear the Dhamma and Discipline proclaimed by the Tathāgata, not when not getting to.
"It is, bhikkhus, on account of this person—the one who enters upon the fixed course of rightness in wholesome dhammas only when getting to see the Tathāgata, not when not getting to; only when getting to hear the Dhamma and Discipline proclaimed by the Tathāgata, not when not getting to—that the teaching of the Dhamma has been allowed. And, bhikkhus, on account of this person, the Dhamma should be taught to others as well. These, bhikkhus, are the three kinds of persons comparable to the sick found existing in the world."
End of the second sutta.
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.