Hoa Vo Uu (Buddha Dharma Education Association)
Venerable Shravasti Dhammika
The Buddha’s Words of Wisdom
Now at that time, a certain monk was suffering from dysentery, and lay where he had fallen in his own excrement. The Lord and Ãnanda were visiting the loggings and they came to where the sick monk lay, and the Lord asked him: “Monk, what is wrong with you?”
“I have dysentery.”
“Is there no one to look after you?”
“No, Lord.”
“Then why is it that the other monks don’t look after you?”
“Is it because I am of no use to them, Lord.”
Then the Lord said to Ãnanda: “Go and fetch water. We will wash this monk.” So, Ãnanda brought water and the Lord poured it out while Ãnanda washed the monk all over. Then taking the monk by the head and feet, the Lord and Ãnanda together carried him and laid him on a bed. Later, the Lord called the monks together and asked them: “Why, monks, did you not look after that sick monk?”
“Becaus he was of no use to use, Lord.”
“You have no mother or father to take care of you. If you do not look after each other, who else will?” He who would nurse me, let him nurse the sick.”
