an.3.22 Aṅguttara Nikāya (Numbered Discourses)

“Bhikkhus, there are these three kinds of patients found existing in the world. What three? (1) Here, one patient will not recover from his illness whether or not he gets suitable food, suitable medicine, and a competent attendant. (2) Another patient will recover from his illness whether or not he gets suitable food, suitable medicine, and a competent attendant. (3) Still another patient will recover from his illness only if he gets suitable food, not if he fails to get it; only if he gets suitable medicine, not if he fails to get it; and only if he gets a competent attendant, not if he fails to get one.

“Food and medicine and a competent attendant are prescribed particularly for the sake of the patient who will recover from his illness only if he gets suitable food, not if he fails to get it; only if he gets suitable medicine, not if he fails to get it; and only if he gets a competent attendant, not if he fails to get one. But because of this patient, the other patients should also be served. These are the three kinds of patients found existing in the world.

“So too, bhikkhus, there are these three kinds of persons similar to patients found existing in the world. What three? (1) Here, some person will not enter upon the fixed course consisting in rightness in wholesome qualities whether or not he gets to see the Tathāgata and whether or not he gets to hear the Dhamma and discipline proclaimed by the Tathāgata. (2) Then another person will enter upon the fixed course consisting in rightness in wholesome qualities whether or not he gets to see the Tathāgata and whether or not he gets to hear the Dhamma and discipline proclaimed by the Tathāgata. (3) And still another person will enter upon the fixed course consisting in rightness in wholesome qualities only if he gets to see the Tathāgata, not if he fails to see him; only if he gets to hear the Dhamma and discipline proclaimed by the Tathāgata, not if he fails to hear it.

“The teaching of the Dhamma is prescribed particularly for the sake of the person who will enter upon the fixed course consisting in rightness in wholesome qualities only if he gets to see the Tathāgata, not if he fails to see him; only if he gets to hear the Dhamma and discipline proclaimed by the Tathāgata, not if he fails to hear it. But because of this person, the Dhamma should also be taught to the others. These are the three kinds of persons similar to patients found existing in the world.”

“Monks, there are three kinds of sick people found in the world. What three?

“Monks, this is one kind of sick person: whether they get suitable food or not, whether they get suitable medicine or not, whether they get a suitable attendant or not, they will not recover from their illness.

“Monks, this is another kind of sick person: whether they get suitable food or not, whether they get suitable medicine or not, whether they get a suitable attendant or not, they will recover from their illness.

“Monks, this is another kind of sick person: they will only recover from their illness if they get suitable food, suitable medicine, and a suitable attendant.

“In that case, monks, it is because of the sick person who will only recover from their illness if they get suitable food, suitable medicine, and a suitable attendant that it is advisable to arrange proper food, medicine, and an attendant for sick people. However, monks, because of this kind of sick person, one should also look after the other kinds of sick people.

“Monks, these are the three kinds of sick people found in the world.

“In the same way, monks, there are three kinds of people found in the world who are like sick people. What three?

“Monks, this is one kind of person: whether they get to see the Tathāgata or not, whether they get to hear the teachings and trainings taught by the Tathāgata or not, they will not progress reliably and correctly in goodness.

“Monks, this is another kind of person: whether they get to see the Tathāgata or not, whether they get to hear the teachings and trainings taught by the Tathāgata or not, they will progress reliably and correctly in goodness.

“Monks, this is another kind of person: they will only progress reliably and correctly in goodness if they get to see the Tathāgata and to hear the teachings and trainings taught by the Tathāgata.

“In that case, monks, it is because of the person who will only progress reliably and correctly in goodness if they get to see the Tathāgata and to hear the teachings and trainings taught by the Tathāgata that it is advisable to teach the Dhamma. However, monks, because of this kind of person, one should also teach the Dhamma to the other kinds of people.

“Monks, these are the three kinds of people found in the world who are like sick people.”