[211] Now at that time a certain bhikkhu was sick. He sent a messenger to the bhikkhus, saying: "I am sick; let the bhikkhus come — I wish for the coming of bhikkhus." They informed the Blessed One of this matter. "Bhikkhus, I allow you to go, when there is business that may be done in seven days (sattāhakaraṇīya), for five [persons], even when not sent for — how much more when sent for: for a bhikkhu, for a bhikkhunī, for a sikkhamānā, for a sāmaṇera, and for a sāmaṇerī. Bhikkhus, I allow you to go for these five, on business that may be done in seven days, even when not sent for — how much more when sent for. The return must be made within seven days.
"Here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu is sick. If he should send a messenger to the bhikkhus, saying, 'I am sick; let the bhikkhus come — I wish for the coming of bhikkhus,' you should go, bhikkhus, on business that may be done in seven days, even when not sent for — how much more when sent for — thinking, 'I shall seek food for the sick, or I shall seek food for those who nurse the sick, or I shall seek medicine for the sick, or I shall inquire after him, or I shall attend upon him.' The return must be made within seven days.
"Here again, bhikkhus, dissatisfaction (anabhirati) has arisen in a bhikkhu. If he should send a messenger to the bhikkhus, saying, 'Dissatisfaction has arisen in me; let the bhikkhus come — I wish for the coming of bhikkhus,' you should go, bhikkhus, on business that may be done in seven days, even when not sent for — how much more when sent for — thinking, 'I shall allay the dissatisfaction, or I shall have it allayed, or I shall give him a talk on the Dhamma.' The return must be made within seven days.
"Here again, bhikkhus, remorse has arisen in a bhikkhu. If he should send a messenger to the bhikkhus, saying, 'Remorse has arisen in me; let the bhikkhus come — I wish for the coming of bhikkhus,' you should go, bhikkhus, on business that may be done in seven days, even when not sent for — how much more when sent for — thinking, 'I shall dispel the remorse, or I shall have it dispelled, or I shall give him a talk on the Dhamma.' The return must be made within seven days.
"Here again, bhikkhus, a wrong view (diṭṭhigata) has arisen in a bhikkhu. If he should send a messenger to the bhikkhus, saying, 'A wrong view has arisen in me; let the bhikkhus come — I wish for the coming of bhikkhus,' you should go, bhikkhus, on business that may be done in seven days, even when not sent for — how much more when sent for — thinking, 'I shall detach him from the wrong view, or I shall have him detached from it, or I shall give him a talk on the Dhamma.' The return must be made within seven days.
"Here again, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu has committed a grave offence (garudhamma) and deserves probation (parivāsa). If he should send a messenger to the bhikkhus, saying, 'I have committed a grave offence and deserve probation; let the bhikkhus come — I wish for the coming of bhikkhus,' you should go, bhikkhus, on business that may be done in seven days, even when not sent for — how much more when sent for — thinking, 'I shall make an effort for the granting of probation, or I shall make the proclamation, or I shall complete the quorum.' The return must be made within seven days.
"Here again, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu deserves to be sent back to the beginning (mūlāya paṭikassana). If he should send a messenger to the bhikkhus, saying, 'I deserve to be sent back to the beginning; let the bhikkhus come — I wish for the coming of bhikkhus,' you should go, bhikkhus, on business that may be done in seven days, even when not sent for — how much more when sent for — thinking, 'I shall make an effort for the sending back to the beginning, or I shall make the proclamation, or I shall complete the quorum.' The return must be made within seven days.
"Here again, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu deserves penance (mānatta). If he should send a messenger to the bhikkhus, saying, 'I deserve penance; let the bhikkhus come — I wish for the coming of bhikkhus,' you should go, bhikkhus, on business that may be done in seven days, even when not sent for — how much more when sent for — thinking, 'I shall make an effort for the granting of penance, or I shall make the proclamation, or I shall complete the quorum.' The return must be made within seven days.
"Here again, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu deserves rehabilitation (abbhāna). If he should send a messenger to the bhikkhus, saying, 'I deserve rehabilitation; let the bhikkhus come — I wish for the coming of bhikkhus,' you should go, bhikkhus, on business that may be done in seven days, even when not sent for — how much more when sent for — thinking, 'I shall make an effort for the rehabilitation, or I shall make the proclamation, or I shall complete the quorum.' The return must be made within seven days.
"Here again, bhikkhus, the Saṅgha wishes to carry out a formal act against a bhikkhu — an act of censure (tajjanīya), of demotion (niyassa), of banishment (pabbājanīya), of reconciliation (paṭisāraṇīya), or of suspension (ukkhepanīya). If he should send a messenger to the bhikkhus, saying, 'The Saṅgha wishes to carry out a formal act against me; let the bhikkhus come — I wish for the coming of bhikkhus,' you should go, bhikkhus, on business that may be done in seven days, even when not sent for — how much more when sent for — thinking, 'How now may the Saṅgha not carry out the act, or commute it to a lighter one?' The return must be made within seven days. Or a formal act has been carried out against him by the Saṅgha — an act of censure, of demotion, of banishment, of reconciliation, or of suspension. If he should send a messenger to the bhikkhus, saying, 'The Saṅgha has carried out a formal act against me; let the bhikkhus come — I wish for the coming of bhikkhus,' you should go, bhikkhus, on business that may be done in seven days, even when not sent for — how much more when sent for — thinking, 'How now may he conduct himself properly, be subdued, and mend his ways, so that the Saṅgha may revoke that act?' The return must be made within seven days.
"Here again, bhikkhus, a bhikkhunī is sick. If she should send a messenger to the bhikkhus, saying, 'I am sick; let the venerable sirs come — I wish for the coming of the venerable sirs,' you should go, bhikkhus, on business that may be done in seven days, even when not sent for — how much more when sent for — thinking, 'I shall seek food for the sick, or I shall seek food for those who nurse the sick, or I shall seek medicine for the sick, or I shall inquire after her, or I shall attend upon her.' The return must be made within seven days.
"Here again, bhikkhus, dissatisfaction has arisen in a bhikkhunī. If she should send a messenger to the bhikkhus, saying, 'Dissatisfaction has arisen in me; let the venerable sirs come — I wish for the coming of the venerable sirs,' you should go, bhikkhus, on business that may be done in seven days, even when not sent for — how much more when sent for — thinking, 'I shall allay the dissatisfaction, or I shall have it allayed, or I shall give her a talk on the Dhamma.' The return must be made within seven days.
"Here again, bhikkhus, remorse has arisen in a bhikkhunī. If she should send a messenger to the bhikkhus, saying, 'Remorse has arisen in me; let the venerable sirs come — I wish for the coming of the venerable sirs,' you should go, bhikkhus, on business that may be done in seven days, even when not sent for — how much more when sent for — thinking, 'I shall dispel the remorse, or I shall have it dispelled, or I shall give her a talk on the Dhamma.' The return must be made within seven days.
"Here again, bhikkhus, a wrong view has arisen in a bhikkhunī. If she should send a messenger to the bhikkhus, saying, 'A wrong view has arisen in me; let the venerable sirs come — I wish for the coming of the venerable sirs,' you should go, bhikkhus, on business that may be done in seven days, even when not sent for — how much more when sent for — thinking, 'I shall detach her from the wrong view, or I shall have her detached from it, or I shall give her a talk on the Dhamma.' The return must be made within seven days.
"Here again, bhikkhus, a bhikkhunī has committed a grave offence and deserves penance. If she should send a messenger to the bhikkhus, saying, 'I have committed a grave offence and deserve penance; let the venerable sirs come — I wish for the coming of the venerable sirs,' you should go, bhikkhus, on business that may be done in seven days, even when not sent for — how much more when sent for — thinking, 'I shall make an effort for the granting of penance.' The return must be made within seven days.
"Here again, bhikkhus, a bhikkhunī deserves to be sent back to the beginning. If she should send a messenger to the bhikkhus, saying, 'I deserve to be sent back to the beginning; let the venerable sirs come — I wish for the coming of the venerable sirs,' you should go, bhikkhus, on business that may be done in seven days, even when not sent for — how much more when sent for — thinking, 'I shall make an effort for the sending back to the beginning.' The return must be made within seven days.
"Here again, bhikkhus, a bhikkhunī deserves rehabilitation. If she should send a messenger to the bhikkhus, saying, 'I deserve rehabilitation; let the venerable sirs come — I wish for the coming of the venerable sirs,' you should go, bhikkhus, on business that may be done in seven days, even when not sent for — how much more when sent for — thinking, 'I shall make an effort for the rehabilitation.' The return must be made within seven days.
"Here again, bhikkhus, the Saṅgha wishes to carry out a formal act against a bhikkhunī — an act of censure, of demotion, of banishment, of reconciliation, or of suspension. If she should send a messenger to the bhikkhus, saying, 'The Saṅgha wishes to carry out a formal act against me; let the venerable sirs come — I wish for the coming of the venerable sirs,' you should go, bhikkhus, on business that may be done in seven days, even when not sent for — how much more when sent for — thinking, 'How now may the Saṅgha not carry out the act, or commute it to a lighter one?' The return must be made within seven days. Or a formal act has been carried out against her by the Saṅgha — an act of censure, of demotion, of banishment, of reconciliation, or of suspension. If she should send a messenger to the bhikkhus, saying, 'The Saṅgha has carried out a formal act against me; let the venerable sirs come — I wish for the coming of the venerable sirs,' you should go, bhikkhus, on business that may be done in seven days, even when not sent for — how much more when sent for — thinking, 'How now may she conduct herself properly, be subdued, and mend her ways, so that the Saṅgha may revoke that act?' The return must be made within seven days.
"Here again, bhikkhus, a sikkhamānā is sick. If she should send a messenger to the bhikkhus, saying, 'I am sick; let the venerable sirs come — I wish for the coming of the venerable sirs,' you should go, bhikkhus, on business that may be done in seven days, even when not sent for — how much more when sent for — thinking, 'I shall seek food for the sick, or I shall seek food for those who nurse the sick, or I shall seek medicine for the sick, or I shall inquire after her, or I shall attend upon her.' The return must be made within seven days.
"Here again, bhikkhus, dissatisfaction has arisen in a sikkhamānā … remorse has arisen … a wrong view has arisen … her training has been disrupted. If she should send a messenger to the bhikkhus, saying, 'My training has been disrupted; let the venerable sirs come — I wish for the coming of the venerable sirs,' you should go, bhikkhus, on business that may be done in seven days, even when not sent for — how much more when sent for — thinking, 'I shall make an effort for her undertaking of the training.' The return must be made within seven days.
"Here again, bhikkhus, a sikkhamānā wishes to receive full ordination (upasampadā). If she should send a messenger to the bhikkhus, saying, 'I wish to receive full ordination; let the venerable sirs come — I wish for the coming of the venerable sirs,' you should go, bhikkhus, on business that may be done in seven days, even when not sent for — how much more when sent for — thinking, 'I shall make an effort for the full ordination, or I shall make the proclamation, or I shall complete the quorum.' The return must be made within seven days.
"Here again, bhikkhus, a sāmaṇera is sick. If he should send a messenger to the bhikkhus, saying, 'I am sick; let the bhikkhus come — I wish for the coming of bhikkhus,' you should go, bhikkhus, on business that may be done in seven days, even when not sent for — how much more when sent for — thinking, 'I shall seek food for the sick, or I shall seek food for those who nurse the sick, or I shall seek medicine for the sick, or I shall inquire after him, or I shall attend upon him.' The return must be made within seven days.
"Here again, bhikkhus, dissatisfaction has arisen in a sāmaṇera … remorse has arisen … a wrong view has arisen … A sāmaṇera wishes to ask about his years. If he should send a messenger to the bhikkhus, saying, 'I wish to ask about my years; let the bhikkhus come — I wish for the coming of bhikkhus,' you should go, bhikkhus, on business that may be done in seven days, even when not sent for — how much more when sent for — thinking, 'I shall ask, or I shall tell him.' The return must be made within seven days.
"Here again, bhikkhus, a sāmaṇera wishes to receive full ordination. If he should send a messenger to the bhikkhus, saying, 'I wish to receive full ordination; let the bhikkhus come — I wish for the coming of bhikkhus,' you should go, bhikkhus, on business that may be done in seven days, even when not sent for — how much more when sent for — thinking, 'I shall make an effort for the full ordination, or I shall make the proclamation, or I shall complete the quorum.' The return must be made within seven days.
"Here again, bhikkhus, a sāmaṇerī is sick. If she should send a messenger to the bhikkhus, saying, 'I am sick; let the venerable sirs come — I wish for the coming of the venerable sirs,' you should go, bhikkhus, on business that may be done in seven days, even when not sent for — how much more when sent for — thinking, 'I shall seek food for the sick, or I shall seek food for those who nurse the sick, or I shall seek medicine for the sick, or I shall inquire after her, or I shall attend upon her.' The return must be made within seven days.
"Here again, bhikkhus, dissatisfaction has arisen in a sāmaṇerī. Remorse has arisen. A wrong view has arisen. A sāmaṇerī wishes to ask about her years. She wishes to undertake the training. If she should send a messenger to the bhikkhus, saying, 'I wish to undertake the training; let the venerable sirs come — I wish for the coming of the venerable sirs,' you should go, bhikkhus, on business that may be done in seven days, even when not sent for — how much more when sent for — thinking, 'I shall make an effort for her undertaking of the training.' The return must be made within seven days."
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.