[166] Now at that time a certain bhikkhu was afflicted with a disturbance of the bowels (kucchivikārābādha). He lay fouled in his own urine and excrement. Then the Blessed One, walking on a tour of the lodgings with the Venerable Ānanda as his attendant-monk, approached the dwelling of that bhikkhu. The Blessed One saw that bhikkhu lying fouled in his own urine and excrement; having seen him, he approached that bhikkhu, and having approached, he said to that bhikkhu: "Bhikkhu, what is your affliction?"
"I have a disturbance of the bowels, Blessed One."
"But have you an attendant, bhikkhu?"
"I have not, Blessed One."
"Why do the bhikkhus not attend upon you?"
"Venerable sir, I am of no service to the bhikkhus; therefore the bhikkhus do not attend upon me."
Then the Blessed One addressed the Venerable Ānanda: "Go, Ānanda, bring water; we shall bathe this bhikkhu."
"So be it, venerable sir," the Venerable Ānanda replied to the Blessed One, and he brought water. The Blessed One poured on the water; the Venerable Ānanda washed him clean. The Blessed One took him by the head, the Venerable Ānanda by the feet, and lifting him up they laid him upon a bed.
Then the Blessed One, on account of this incident, in this connection, had the community of bhikkhus assembled and questioned the bhikkhus: "Bhikkhus, is there in such-and-such a dwelling a bhikkhu who is sick?"
"There is, Blessed One."
"What, bhikkhus, is that bhikkhu's affliction?"
"That venerable one, venerable sir, has an affliction of a disturbance of the bowels."
"But, bhikkhus, has that bhikkhu an attendant?"
"He has not, Blessed One."
"Why do the bhikkhus not attend upon him?"
"Venerable sir, that bhikkhu is of no service to the bhikkhus; therefore the bhikkhus do not attend upon him."
"Bhikkhus, you have no mother, you have no father, who might attend upon you. If you, bhikkhus, will not attend upon one another, who then will attend? Bhikkhus, whoever would attend upon me, let him attend upon the sick. If he has a preceptor (upajjhāya), he should be attended by the preceptor for as long as life lasts; his recovery should be awaited. If he has a teacher (ācariya), he should be attended by the teacher for as long as life lasts; his recovery should be awaited. If he has a co-resident pupil (saddhivihārika), he should be attended by the co-resident pupil for as long as life lasts; his recovery should be awaited. If he has a resident pupil (antevāsika), he should be attended by the resident pupil for as long as life lasts; his recovery should be awaited. If he has one who shares the same preceptor, he should be attended by the one who shares the same preceptor for as long as life lasts; his recovery should be awaited. If he has one who shares the same teacher, he should be attended by the one who shares the same teacher for as long as life lasts; his recovery should be awaited. If he has no preceptor, teacher, co-resident pupil, resident pupil, one who shares the same preceptor, or one who shares the same teacher, he should be attended by the Saṅgha. If it should not attend upon him, there is an offense of wrong-doing (dukkaṭa).
"Bhikkhus, a sick person possessed of five qualities is difficult to attend: he does what is unsuitable; he does not know moderation in what is suitable; he does not take his medicine; he does not disclose his affliction as it really is (yathābhūta) to an attendant of the sick who desires his welfare — when it is advancing, that 'it is advancing,' when it is receding, that 'it is receding,' when it is stable, that 'it is stable'; and he is by nature one who cannot endure arisen bodily feelings (vedanā) that are painful, racking, sharp, piercing, disagreeable, displeasing, sapping the life. Possessed of these five qualities, bhikkhus, a sick person is difficult to attend.
"Bhikkhus, a sick person possessed of five qualities is easy to attend: he does what is suitable; he knows moderation in what is suitable; he takes his medicine; he discloses his affliction as it really is to an attendant of the sick who desires his welfare — when it is advancing, that 'it is advancing,' when it is receding, that 'it is receding,' when it is stable, that 'it is stable'; and he is by nature one who can endure arisen bodily feelings that are painful, racking, sharp, piercing, disagreeable, displeasing, sapping the life. Possessed of these five qualities, bhikkhus, a sick person is easy to attend.
"Bhikkhus, an attendant of the sick possessed of five qualities is not fit to attend the sick: he is not capable of preparing medicine; he does not know what is suitable and what is unsuitable — he offers what is unsuitable and withholds what is suitable; he attends the sick person for the sake of material gain, not with a mind of loving-kindness; he is squeamish about removing excrement, urine, spittle, or vomit; and he is not capable of instructing, inspiring, rousing, and gladdening the sick person from time to time with a talk on the Dhamma. Possessed of these five qualities, bhikkhus, an attendant of the sick is not fit to attend the sick.
"Bhikkhus, an attendant of the sick possessed of five qualities is fit to attend the sick: he is capable of preparing medicine; he knows what is suitable and what is unsuitable — he withholds what is unsuitable and offers what is suitable; he attends the sick person with a mind of loving-kindness, not for the sake of material gain; he is not squeamish about removing excrement, urine, spittle, or vomit; and he is capable of instructing, inspiring, rousing, and gladdening the sick person from time to time with a talk on the Dhamma. Possessed of these five qualities, bhikkhus, an attendant of the sick is fit to attend the sick."
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.