17. The Good Friend

Vuttañhetaṁ bhagavatā vuttamarahatāti me sutaṁ:

“Sekhassa, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno appattamānasassa anuttaraṁ yogakkhemaṁ patthayamānassa viharato bāhiraṁ aṅganti karitvā nāññaṁ ekaṅgampi samanupassāmi yaṁ evaṁ bahūpakāraṁ yathayidaṁ, bhikkhave, kalyāṇamittatā.

Kalyāṇamitto, bhikkhave, bhikkhu akusalaṁ pajahati, kusalaṁ bhāvetī”ti.

Etamatthaṁ bhagavā avoca.

Tatthetaṁ iti vuccati:

“Kalyāṇamitto yo bhikkhu,

sappatisso sagāravo;

Karaṁ mittānaṁ vacanaṁ,

sampajāno patissato;

Pāpuṇe anupubbena,

sabbasaṁyojanakkhayan”ti.

Ayampi attho vutto bhagavatā, iti me sutanti.

Sattamaṁ.

This was said by the Lord…

“Bhikkhus, in regard to external factors, I do not perceive another single factor so helpful as good friendship for a bhikkhu who is a learner, who has not attained perfection but lives aspiring for the supreme security from bondage. Bhikkhus, a bhikkhu who has a good friend abandons what is unwholesome and develops what is wholesome.”

When a bhikkhu has good friends,
And is reverential and respectful,
Doing what his friends advise,
Clearly comprehending and mindful,
He may progressively attain
The destruction of all fetters.