[229] Then the Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus: "Assemble, bhikkhus; the Saṅgha will hold the invitation (pavāraṇā)." When this was said, a certain bhikkhu said this to the Blessed One: "Venerable sir, there is a sick bhikkhu; he has not come."
"Bhikkhus, I allow a sick bhikkhu to give his invitation. And thus, bhikkhus, should it be given: that sick bhikkhu, having approached one bhikkhu, having arranged his upper robe over one shoulder, having squatted down on his heels and raised his joined palms, should say to him thus: 'I give my invitation; convey my invitation; make the invitation on my behalf.' If he makes this known by body, makes it known by speech, or makes it known by body and speech, the invitation has been given. If he does not make it known by body, does not make it known by speech, and does not make it known by body and speech, the invitation has not been given.
"If it can be managed thus, this is good. If it cannot be managed, then, bhikkhus, that sick bhikkhu should be brought into the midst of the Saṅgha on a bed or a chair, and the invitation should be carried out. If, bhikkhus, it occurs to the bhikkhus attending the sick one: 'If we move the sick one from his place, either the illness will worsen or death will occur,' then the sick one should not be moved from his place; the Saṅgha, having gone there, should carry out the invitation—but the invitation should certainly not be carried out by an incomplete (vagga) Saṅgha. Should it so invite, there is an offence of wrong-doing (dukkaṭa).
"If, bhikkhus, the conveyer of the invitation, when the invitation has been given, departs right then and there, the invitation should be given to another. If, bhikkhus, the conveyer of the invitation, when the invitation has been given, right then and there disrobes … dies, admits to being a novice, admits to having renounced the training, admits to having committed a gravest offence (antimavatthu), admits to being insane, admits to being deranged in mind, admits to being racked by feeling (vedanā), admits to being suspended for not seeing an offence, admits to being suspended for not making amends for an offence, admits to being suspended for not relinquishing a pernicious view, admits to being a paṇḍaka, admits to being one living in communion by theft, admits to being one who has gone over to another sect, admits to being an animal, admits to being a matricide, admits to being a patricide, admits to being a murderer of an arahant, admits to being a violator of a bhikkhunī, admits to being a schismatic, admits to being a shedder of (a Buddha's) blood, admits to being a hermaphrodite—the invitation should be given to another.
"If, bhikkhus, the conveyer of the invitation, when the invitation has been given, departs while on the way, the invitation has not been conveyed. If, bhikkhus, the conveyer of the invitation, when the invitation has been given, disrobes while on the way, dies … admits to being a hermaphrodite, the invitation has not been conveyed.
"If, bhikkhus, the conveyer of the invitation, when the invitation has been given, departs after reaching the Saṅgha, the invitation has been conveyed. If, bhikkhus, the conveyer of the invitation, when the invitation has been given, disrobes after reaching the Saṅgha, dies … admits to being a hermaphrodite, the invitation has been conveyed.
"If, bhikkhus, the conveyer of the invitation, when the invitation has been given, having reached the Saṅgha, falls asleep and does not announce it, the invitation has been conveyed; there is no offence for the conveyer of the invitation. If, bhikkhus, the conveyer of the invitation, when the invitation has been given, having reached the Saṅgha, has entered a meditative attainment and does not announce it, the invitation has been conveyed; there is no offence for the conveyer of the invitation. If, bhikkhus, the conveyer of the invitation, when the invitation has been given, having reached the Saṅgha, is heedless and does not announce it, the invitation has been conveyed; there is no offence for the conveyer of the invitation. If, bhikkhus, the conveyer of the invitation, when the invitation has been given, having reached the Saṅgha, deliberately does not announce it, the invitation has been conveyed, but for the conveyer of the invitation there is an offence of wrong-doing.
"Bhikkhus, I allow that on the invitation day one giving his invitation should also give his consent (chanda), in case the Saṅgha has business to carry out."
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.