5. The allowance to go to any of seven kinds of persons even if not asked On one occasion the mother of a certain monk was sick. She sent a message to her son: “Please come, I’m sick.” That monk thought, “The Buddha has laid down a rule that one should go for seven days to any of seven kinds of persons, but only when asked, and that one should go for seven days to any of five kinds of persons even if not asked, let alone if one is. My mother is sick, but she’s not a lay follower. So what should I do?” They told the Buddha.