[180] Now at that time several bhikkhus, foolish and incompetent, set out for the districts without taking leave of their teachers and preceptors. They reported this matter to the Blessed One. [He said:] "Here, bhikkhus, several bhikkhus, foolish and incompetent, setting out for the districts, do not take leave of their teachers and preceptors. Bhikkhus, they should be questioned by their teachers and preceptors: 'Where will you go? With whom will you go?' If, bhikkhus, those foolish and incompetent ones should name other foolish and incompetent ones, the teachers and preceptors should not give permission; if they should give permission, there is an offense of wrong-doing (dukkaṭa). And if, bhikkhus, those foolish and incompetent ones should go without having been given permission by their teachers and preceptors, there is an offense of wrong-doing.
"Here, bhikkhus, in a certain residence several bhikkhus are dwelling who are foolish and incompetent. They do not know the Uposatha, or the Uposatha observance, or the Pātimokkha, or the recitation of the Pātimokkha. There another bhikkhu arrives—one of great learning, versed in the transmitted scriptures, a bearer of the Dhamma, a bearer of the Vinaya, a bearer of the Mātikās, wise, competent, intelligent, conscientious, scrupulous, and desirous of the training. Bhikkhus, that bhikkhu should be assisted, supported, treated with kindly speech, and attended upon by those bhikkhus with bath-powder, clay, tooth-sticks, and water for rinsing the mouth; if they should not assist, support, treat him with kindly speech, and attend upon him with bath-powder, clay, tooth-sticks, and water for rinsing the mouth, there is an offense of wrong-doing.
"Here, bhikkhus, in a certain residence on the Uposatha day several bhikkhus are dwelling who are foolish and incompetent. They do not know the Uposatha, or the Uposatha observance, or the Pātimokkha, or the recitation of the Pātimokkha. Bhikkhus, one bhikkhu should be sent by those bhikkhus straightaway to a neighboring residence, [with the instruction]: 'Go, friend; having mastered the Pātimokkha in brief or in full, come back.' If this can be accomplished, well and good; if it cannot be accomplished, then, bhikkhus, all those bhikkhus should go to a residence where they know the Uposatha, or the Uposatha observance, or the Pātimokkha, or the recitation of the Pātimokkha; if they should not go, there is an offense of wrong-doing.
"Here, bhikkhus, in a certain residence several bhikkhus are spending the rains who are foolish and incompetent. They do not know the Uposatha, or the Uposatha observance, or the Pātimokkha, or the recitation of the Pātimokkha. Bhikkhus, one bhikkhu should be sent by those bhikkhus straightaway to a neighboring residence, [with the instruction]: 'Go, friend; having mastered the Pātimokkha in brief or in full, come back.' If this can be accomplished, well and good; if it cannot be accomplished, then one bhikkhu should be sent for a period of seven days, [with the instruction]: 'Go, friend; having mastered the Pātimokkha in brief or in full, come back.' If this can be accomplished, well and good; if it cannot be accomplished, then, bhikkhus, those bhikkhus should not spend the rains in that residence; if they should spend it, there is an offense of wrong-doing."
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.