འདལ་བ་གཞ 3.8

3.8

An Act to Tend The Sick

On the fifteenth, the day of lifting restrictions, the Blessed One sat on a seat that had been arranged before the saṅgha of monks. The Blessed One then said to the monks, “Monks, the night is fading. Perform the lifting of restrictions.”⁶⁰

Then a monk rose from his seat, took his upper robe from one shoulder, and, bowing with palms pressed together in the direction of the Blessed One, said to him, “There is a monk, sick, suffering, and tormented by illness, on site. What shall we do about him?”

The Blessed One replied, “His lifting of restrictions should be received.” Since the monks did not know how to receive the lifting of restrictions the Blessed One spoke of when he said, “His lifting of restrictions should be received,” the Blessed One said, “One monk may receive the lifting of restrictions from one, two, or even many, so long as he is able to state each of their names.⁶¹

“I will formulate the rules of customary conduct for a monk offering his lifting of restrictions. A monk offering his lifting of restrictions, having taken his upper robe from one shoulder and removed his sandals, should pay his respects in order of seniority, and then squat. With palms pressed together, he should say:

“ ‘Venerable ones, please listen. Today is the fifteenth, the saṅgha’s lifting of restrictions. Today is also the fifteenth, the day of lifting restrictions for me, the monk so-and-so. I, the monk so-and-so, lift restrictions upon the honorable saṅgha regarding the three grounds of what has been seen, heard, or suspected of me. I, the monk so-and-so, profess that I am pure of hindering qualities. I also profess my purity for the lifting of restrictions.⁶² Let my profession be known.’

“That is then said a second and a third time. If the monk offering his lifting of restrictions physically communicates his offer to lift restrictions, the lifting of restrictions should be deemed as having been offered. If he verbally communicates his offer to lift restrictions, the lifting of restrictions should be deemed as having been offered.