釋氏要覽 3.279

3.279

凡二寺差行法事司賓侍者馳書先置皆是僧使也。四分律云。具足八法應差。一能聽。二能說。三自解。四令他解。五能受。六能憶持。七無謬失。八別好惡言議頌曰。若在大眾中心無有怯弱。所說亦不增受教無損減。言語無錯亂問時不移動有如是比丘堪為僧使者。

Whenever the two kinds of monasteries dispatch monks to perform Dharma matters, guest attendants, or those sending letters in advance, these are all monastic envoys. The Dharmaguptaka-vinaya states: "Endowed with eight qualities, one should be dispatched: first, able to listen; second, able to speak; third, understanding for oneself; fourth, causing others to understand; fifth, able to receive; sixth, able to remember and retain; seventh, without error; eighth, distinguishing good from bad speech." The verse states: "If in the midst of the great assembly / One's mind has no timidity, / What one speaks also does not exaggerate, / Receiving instructions without omission, / Speech without confusion, / Not wavering when questioned— / Having such a bhikṣu, / He is worthy of being a monastic envoy."