1. Now at that time a certain Bhikkhu had a disturbance in his bowels, and he lay fallen in his own evacuations. And the Blessed One on going round the sleeping-places accompanied by the venerable Ânanda came to that Bhikkhu's abode, and saw him so. And he went up to him, and asked him, 'What is the matter with you, O Bhikkhu?'
'I have a disturbance, Lord, in my bowels.'
'Then have you, O Bhikkhu, any one to wait upon you?'
'No, Lord.'
'Why do not the Bhikkhus wait upon you?'
'Because I am of no service, Lord, to the Bhikkhus.'
2. Then the Blessed One said to the venerable
5. 'There are five qualities, O Bhikkhus, which, when a sick man has, he is difficult to wait upon--when he does not do what is good for him; when he does not know the limit (of the quantity of food) that is good for him 2; when he does not take his medicine; when he does not let a nurse who desires his good know what manner of disease he has, or when it is getting worse that that is so, or when it is getting better that that is so, or when it is stationary that that is so; and when he has become unable to bear bodily pains that are severe, sharp, grievous, disagreeable, unpleasant, and destructive to life 3. These are the five qualities, O Bhikkhus, which, when a sick man has, he is difficult to wait upon.
6. 'There are five qualities, O Bhikkhus, which, when a sick man has, he is easy to wait upon--when he does' (&c., the contrary of the last section).
7. 'There are five qualities, O Bhikkhus, which, when one who waits upon the sick has, he is incompetent to the task--when he is not capable of prescribing medicines; when he does not know what (diet) is good and what is not good for the patient, serving what is not good, and not serving what is good for him; when he waits upon the sick out of
240:1 Buddhaghosa says, Ekâdhippâyan ti ekam adhippâyam. Eka-puggala-pativisam eva dethâ ti attho. 242:1 On all except the last two this duty has already been enjoined above in the passages on the mutual duties of masters and pupils (Mahâvagga I, 24, 25; I, 26, II; I, 32, 3; I, 33, r). 242:2 Compare Gâtaka II, 293, 294. 242:3 This last clause occurs also above, at I, 49, 6.
