‘He who tends to the sick tends to me’ – The Buddha

From The Nation

Concept of healing in Buddhism

By  Manjari Peiris  Sunday, 30 December 2012 00:00

 

  The Buddha said that it is the responsibility and duty of the community to look after the sick

‘He who tends to the sick tends to me’ – The Buddha

The Buddha encouraged his disciples to look after the sick. The Blessed One made this famous statement “He who attends the sick attends me,” when he discovered a desperately ill monk with an acute attack of dysentery, lying in his grubby robes. On this occasion the Buddha with the help of Ananda Thera washed and cleaned the sick monk with warm water. He said that it is the responsibility and duty of the community to look after the sick.

On many instances the Buddha tended to severely sick people and setting an example. Once when a monk was discovered with sores all over his body with pus oozing out from the sores, and abandoned by fellow monks, the Buddha boiled water and washed the monk with his own hands and cleaned and dried the robes. After listening to the Buddha’s sermon the monk attained Arhanthood and soon passed away...

Full Article