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# AN 4:157 · Illness (Roga Sutta)
- URL: https://www.journal.ninthheaven.co/civilisation/trad-buddhism/an-4-157/
- Published: 2026-06-01T02:37:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-07-13T16:35:19.000Z
- Description: Aṅguttara Nikāya · AN 4:157. Translated by Ṭhānissaro Bhikkhu.
- Author: Ninth Heaven Literature & Arts Association (NHLAA)
- Tags: Buddhism, Sutta Piṭaka, Text, Indian, The Buddha, Ṭhānissaro Bhikkhu, Discourse, Pali, Early Buddhist, Library, #Import 2026-07-06 03:33

“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 mind[1](https://www.dhammatalks.org/suttas/AN/AN4%5F157.html?ref=journal.ninthheaven.co) 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.”

Note

1\. Reading *vighāta-cittā* with the Thai edition of the Canon. The Burmese edition has *vighātavanto,* “frustrated.”

See also: [MN 2](https://www.journal.ninthheaven.co/civilisation/trad-buddhism/mn-2/); [MN 21](https://www.journal.ninthheaven.co/civilisation/trad-buddhism/mn-21/); [MN 28](https://www.journal.ninthheaven.co/civilisation/trad-buddhism/mn-28/); [SN 22:1](https://www.journal.ninthheaven.co/civilisation/trad-buddhism/sn-22-1/); [SN 22:122](https://www.journal.ninthheaven.co/civilisation/trad-buddhism/sn-22-122/); [AN 4:28](https://www.journal.ninthheaven.co/civilisation/trad-buddhism/an-4-28/); [Sn 4:16](https://www.journal.ninthheaven.co/civilisation/trad-buddhism/sn-4-16/); [Thag 5:8](https://www.journal.ninthheaven.co/civilisation/trad-buddhism/thag-5-8/)

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*Translated by Ṭhānissaro Bhikkhu. © 2014 / rev. 2017 Ṭhānissaro Bhikkhu — released under the [Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/?ref=journal.ninthheaven.co) licence, for free distribution only. Source: [dhammatalks.org](https://www.dhammatalks.org/suttas/AN/AN4%5F157.html?ref=journal.ninthheaven.co) (Metta Forest Monastery).*