(Part
One) 32. The Buddha and the Sick Monk
One
day the Buddha visited a monastery. While he was there he came
across a chamber where a monk lay in great pain
caused by a loathsome disease. Although there were many
other monks at the monastery, not one of them was
concerned about their sick brother. The Buddha,
beholding this woeful situation, began to look after
the suffering man. He called Ananda and together
they bathed the monk, changed his dirty bed and
eased his pain.
Then
the Buddha admonished the monks of the monastery
for their neglect and encouraged them to nurse the
sick and care for the suffering. He concluded by
saying, "Whosoever serves the sick and suffering,
serves me."
