法苑珠林 95.24

95.24

As the Ekottarika-āgama states: At that time the World-Honoured One told the bhikṣus: "There are three great afflictions. What are the three? First, wind is a great affliction; second, phlegm is a great affliction; third, cold is a great affliction. Yet there are three good medicines to treat them: for wind afflictions, ghee is a good medicine, as well as food made with ghee; for phlegm afflictions, honey is a good medicine, as well as food made with honey; for cold afflictions, oil is a good medicine, as well as food made with oil. These are called the three great afflictions, and they have these three medicines to treat them. In the same way, bhikṣus also have three great afflictions: first, lust; second, anger; third, delusion. Yet there are three good medicines to treat them: first, when lust arises, treat it with impurity, and contemplate the path of impurity; second, for the great affliction of anger, treat it with loving-kindness, and contemplate the path of loving-kindness; third, for the great affliction of delusion, treat it with wisdom, and contemplate the path of conditioned arising. These are called the three great afflictions of bhikṣus, and they have these three medicines to treat them."